While driving on a trip the other day, I found myself meditating on the year 1998 and the many biblical signposts pointing to that year as a major prophetic watershed year. Many thought the rapture would be that year, and now others believe it was the beginning of the final seven years. Could 1998, in fact, have begun a countdown?

Ron Reese gives several reasons why he believes the October 23, 1998 Wye Agreement was the "confirming" of the Daniel 9:27 covenant. One reason is the signs in the heavens. The actual signing of the covenant document was, Ron says, the "exact same minute" (2:34 p.m. EDT) as Saturn (Satan) came closest to earth and brightest in 20 years, in the sign of Pisces (Israel), and in conjunction with constellation Cetus (Antichrist). He says the odds against this happening at the exact same minute by mere coincidence were more than 10 million to 1. Additionally, Ron says that the sign of Revelation 12:1 appeared in the heavens the eve of October 23, 1998. Odds against: 912 to 1. He also says that the Day of Atonement is the most likely day for Second Coming. If you add exactly 2,520 days (seven prophetic years) to October 23, 1998, you arrive on the Day of Atonement, 2005. Odds against: 365 to 1. Combined odds for just the above three: astronomical.

Bob Schlenker has other fascinating insights on this on his Web site, The Open Scroll..

OTHER THINGS POINTING TO THE YEAR 1998. In a previous article, I listed several other things pointing to 1998. Plus, while driving, I remembered one more. I will not repeat them all here, but I will mention one of them – plus the new one. (For previous article, click here.)

THE 19^TH CENTURY NOAH TROYER PROPHECY. I have always sensed the credibility of the unusual Noah Troyer prophecy in the last century. In about 1994 I personally documented this incident which I learned about from author Betty Maltz, and was able to obtain a copy of the original documentation. It really happened. Noah Troyer was an Amish minister, born in 1831. Troyer became ill, causing him to have repeated periods of unconsciousness, during which time he would stand and prophesy. He spoke almost the same basic message over and over again, someone counted 19 times. His wife called friends and family members to witness what he was saying. There was even newspaper coverage of the phenomenon. Basically, the message was that just as with Noah before the flood, God was warning him, also Noah, that He was giving America 120 years to repent before it will be destroyed. These words were spoken by Noah Troyer in 1878. And 1878 + 120 years = 1998. While destruction did not come in 1998, could the prophecy have been pointing to the beginning of the end and the final seven years?

In about 1994 after I heard the above story about Noah Troyer, I asked myself, "Could we really now be in such a 120-year countdown? If so, when did the countdown really begin?" Then I remembered that Israel is "God's time piece." Israel is the key to prophecy. I wondered, "Could there have been some significant historical event about Israel in 1878 that might confirm such a countdown beginning in that specific year?" Then I remembered a certain book on my shelf that lists all significant historical/biblical events, by exact year, since recorded history began. I grabbed the book and anxiously flipped to 1878, curious if there would be any entry at all. To my shock, it read: "1878 -- Establishment of Petah Tikvah in Judea and Rosh Pinnah in Galilee. These were the first Jewish villages in Palestine in our times." This was the planting of modern Israel, the fig tree, God's time clock -- in 1878!!!

Later, I was studying about the "times of the Gentiles" as spoken of by Jesus (Luke 21:24). I discovered that some Bible scholars believe the "times of the Gentiles" actually began in 606 B.C. when Babylon captured Jerusalem, and would extend for 2,520 years, based on God's promise to punish Israel seven times (Leviticus 26: 18,21,24,28), with "times" meaning 360 years (7 X 360 = 2,520), and/or based on Nebuchadnezzar's madness for 2,520 days. If true, 606 B.C. + 2,520 biblical years = yes, exactly 1878! I later discovered that author Grant R. Jeffrey had written that 1878 did, indeed, signal the beginning of the end of the Gentile Age and the beginning of a 120-year countdown. Such a countdown beginning in 1898 would end in 1998.

BELOW IS THE NEW (OLD) ONE I HAVE NOT SHARED IN A LONG TIME

On September 13, 1997 Barbara Richmond gave me a copy of an unusual fax she had received from Jerusalem just two days earlier. It was from the Orthodox Hasidic rabbi who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah and is the same rabbi with whom she had a startling, supernatural encounter while visiting Jerusalem in 1995. (Click here and read this fascinating story.)

Below is the verbatim text of his September 11, 1997 fax to Barbara. Note the sequence of end-time events revealed to him as an Israeli rabbinical student of Scripture without the influence of popular American theology. He too thought the rapture would be in 1998, but could his revelation have a different meaning?

Fax from Jerusalem rabbi below:

To Barbara. Shalom from Yerushalayim

Today we have done long Bible study. I have revelation to send you important enough to break custom of reaching you through our sister.

As you know we believe Y'shua HaMaschiah is coming very, very soon. Something very important spoken to me by Ruach HaKodesch (the Holy Spirit). Think carefully with me.

Numbers, chapter 4, verse one, Moses instructs the people that for a man to be a priest he must be at least 30 years of age but not more than 50 years. Then he may serve in the house of G'd. Y'shua began to minister at 30 years. I began to think about 30 years and 50 years, to ask for understanding because I felt something in my heart.

Exodus 19:6 the Almighty calls all Israel to be a nation of priests. This is our destiny, our mission, our calling which must to be fulfilled in these times after the days of the Gentiles are finished when the body of Messiah is removed from this earth.

Daniel's last week is at the door - when Israel will finish her calling from the Mighty One. Now here is the situation to me...

G'd always fulfills His patterns which he established. At least 30, no more than 50. The city of Yerushalayim so to speak became 30 years on 6 June, 1997, 30 years after Israeli control since 1967 war. Israel is 49 years, to celebrate 50 years 14 May, 1998.

This is like a window of days when for the only time in history, both the city of David and the nation of Israel qualify at the right age to take up again the calling to be a nation of priests... THE CITY IS 30 YEARS, THE NATION LESS THAN 50. Could it be that Israel will begin to fulfill its final destiny between now and May 1998?

You understand, dear Barbara, if this is true revelation from the Mighty One, "Blessed be His Name" that it is very important for you for as we know, the present body of Messiah must be taken from this earth before the Jews take up the mantle again of G'd's work and will. So Y'shua could come for His followers anytime in this "window."

Are they ready in America? Does anyone else speak of this? Do you sense truth in what I write to you? We must know the times so we can be ready.

(Closing comments. End of fax.)

NOTE 1. This Orthodox rabbi in Jerusalem thought 1998 would be the year when "the body of Messiah would be removed from the earth." That did not happen, but instead perhaps he did have a revelation from the Lord that 1998 would begin the final seven years and would be "the year Israel will begin to fulfill its final destiny." Such a final destiny would certainly be true if 1998 began Daniel’s 70^th week.

NOTE 2. A day or two after the above was written and shared on the Internet, a lady in Australia e-mailed me confirming Scriptures from Ezekiel. In chapter 24 verse 24, God says to Israel, "Ezekiel is to you a sign: according to all that he has done shall you do." In other words, Ezekiel's life is a model for Israel. We know that Ezekiel was in his 30th year (at least 30) when he began his ministry (1:1). Then when he was less than 50, at age 49 (calculated from 40:1), he had an experience when "the glory of the Lord filled the house" (43:5), symbolizing in Ezekiel's life when the glory of the Lord will return to Israel in the last days.

So, with Ezekiel, we have yet a different Scripture pointing to 1998 with the "at least 30 and less than 50" principle demonstrated.

NOTE 3. I shared the above with several long-time students of Bible prophecy, and unanimously they all feel very positive that the rabbi did, indeed, have a revelation from the Lord. However, there is some disagreement about what, and also when the "at least 30--less than 50" window would close, based on Hebrew age reckoning. One opinion expressed was that it would not close until Israel’s 50th year ended on May 14, 1999. Whichever, the October 23, 1998 Wye agreement fell in either the same year or the other window of interpretation.

CONCLUSION

While we may not be sure, there are interesting reasons to believe that the final seven years may have begun in 1998. If true, the classic pre-trib rapture position that the rapture must be BEFORE the final seven years, is not valid, and we are at or very close to the final 3 ½ years.  This may seem like heresy to traditional thinking, but we see through a glass darkly and God's plan may not unfold exactly the way we have aways seen it.  I remain open.

This is especially interesting in view of the reported recent and profound proclamation of the 27 leading rabbis in Israel that Israel is now in the prophetic "time of Jacob’s trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7).

Adding to the interest is this: If Jesus was crucified in A.D. 33 as many believe, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans was 37 years later in A.D. 70. If the fig tree (Israel) began to "put forth its leaves" in the 1967 Six-Day War when she captured Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, then 1967 + 37 = the 2004/2005 time period depending on where the count starts. This is also compatible with a seven-year countdown beginning in 1998.