First of all, I make no claims to be a prophet or to know the mind of God (see Romans11:34). What follows is an estimate at best, based on the available literature and may well be inaccurate. In my previous post Why Now: 2033? I explain why I think the year 2033 is significant. The reader is invited to read that post first.
In Our Lady’s description of the End Times to Fr Gobi (see my post here), she urges us to read from the Prophet Daniel: Beloved children, in order to understand in what this horrible sacrilege consists, read what has been predicted by the prophet Daniel:.… (To The Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons, 12th Ed; locution 485). Jesus also quoted from the Prophet Daniel when describing the End Times to His disciples (Mathew 24:15). Here, I would like to expand on the date 2033 and see how it fits the 70 Weeks Prophecy of the Book of Daniel in the Bible.
The 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel (Ch9: 24-27) is believed to entail a period of 490 years to atone for sin and for putting an end to transgression. It is broken up into three time periods of 7 weeks followed by 62 weeks and then a final 70th one week period. This corresponds to 49 years, 434 years and a final period of 7 years respectively. Let us have a look at this prophecy verse by verse.
From Daniel 9:24 (RSV): …Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
Prior to their conquest by the Babylonians (around 587 BC), the Jews had been given over to idolatry and moral decay. The Prophet Jeremiah warned them but they did not listen. When the 70 Weeks of Years prophecy was given to Daniel, the Jews were in exile in Babylon atoning for their sins. Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed. But a “seal of approval” was stamped on the prophet Jeremiah (Ch 25). The 70 Weeks Prophecy of Daniel is thought to encompass the period of time after the rebuilding of the Temple and its desecration by the antichrist figure Antiochus Epiphanes around 167 BC. The prophecy also takes the Jews up to the time of the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, who they rejected even though they were expecting Him. As with all of the Word of God, Biblical prophecy is as relevant today as the day it was written and does not return to God until it is accomplished.
Going back 490 years from 2033 brings us to the middle of the 16th century (1543). This was a very troubled time for the Catholic Church. The Church was full of corruption, nepotism and moral decay; even the Pope had a mistress and illegitimate children which he appointed to important positions. The Church was selling Indulgences as a form of fund raising. It was in dire need of reform! Like the Jews in their day, The Church was under attack from within by corruption and the Protestant Reformation after Martin Luther (who was a Catholic Priest) posted his ninety five theses on a Church door. The Church was under attack from without by the Ottoman Empire (Islam). The Sack of Rome had occurred in 1527 by mercenary troops of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, many of them Lutheran. St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel were used to stable horses at that time. Earlier attempts at reform of the Church had occurred in the first half of the 16th century. After a number of delays the Council of Trent finally commenced in 1545. However, much needed to be atoned for.
From Daniel 9:25 (RSV):Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Even when the Council of Trent finally got underway, it was interrupted by poor attendance, conflicts and plague. It finally concluded 18 years later in 1563 after three separate sessions. Nonetheless, it triggered the Catholic Counter Reformation and is noteworthy for The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) and the Tridentine Mass which served the Church for another 400 years (i.e. until the introduction of the Novus Ordo Mass). The primacy of the Pope was reaffirmed. The Latin Vulgate became the official biblical text of the Catholic Church and fifty-two of Martin Luther’s Theses were declared heresy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Trent). The reform of the Catholic Church continued up to the end of the 16th century. In effect it put a “mote” around the Catholic Church. The administration of the Church was reformed and “squares” effectively put in place. The reference in Daniel 9:25 to “An anointed one” could be a reference to St Charles Borremeo who was a Cardinal at that time (i.e. a Prince of the Church) and instrumental in the rebuilding and reform of the Church in the later half of the 16th century. Despite coming from a wealthy family, St Charles led a life of austerity and personally oversaw the rebuilding of the integrity of The Church. He established seminaries for the education of Priests. Corruption was eradicated and the liturgy and doctrine were strengthened. This created enemies for St Charles, but he survived an assignation attempt. He later died in 1584. St Ignatius and St Philip Neri were also active during this time. This brings us to the end of the 16th century and the first period (7 weeks of years) of Daniel’s prophecy.
Numerically, the 62 weeks would commence in 1592, i.e. near the end of the 16th century and lasts up until 2026. This 434 year period of history has certainly been a “troubled time” for the Church. Europe experienced its “Wars of Religion” from the 16th up until the early part of the 18th century. The 18th century saw the dawning of the so-called “Age of Enlightenment” which only further undermined Church teaching and authority. The 18th century also saw The Industrial Revolution commence and culminated in the French Revolution which fostered further persecution of the Church and anti-Catholic sentiment. Many religious members were executed. The French Revolution spread war throughout Europe and would eventually give rise to Marxist Atheism which undermined and persecuted the Church throughout the 20th century. Our Lady clearly identifies Marxist Atheism as the Huge Red Dragon of Revelations Ch 12:3: The huge Red Dragon is atheistic communism which has spread everywhere the error of the denial and of the obstinate rejection of God. The huge Red Dragon is Marxist atheism, which appears with ten horns, namely with the power of its means of communication, (To The Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons, 12th Ed; locution 404)
On a more positive note, during the Catholic Counter Reformation, devotion to Our Lady flourished. Devotion to Mary was reaffirmed by the Council of Trent, and subsequently increased in popularity. Our Lady saw the Church through some of the darkest years and formed her own “mote” around the Church. Victories over the Ottoman Empire at Lepanto (1571) and Vienna (1683) were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady. By these victories the Ottoman advance into Europe was finally stalled, but Islam would remain well established in the Middle East and North Africa and continues to be so today. The reader is encouraged to do their own historical research into this period of time.
From Daniel 9:26 (RSV): And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed.
The “anointed one cut off” is thought to be a reference to Jesus Christ who was crucified in 33AD. In our time, it could be a reference to the Vicar of Christ, the Pope being cut-off or taken out of the way as I discussed here. The “destruction of the city and the sanctuary” may well refer to Rome and/or be a reference to the predicted persecution of the Catholic Church and Christianity in general by the Antichrist (i.e. by “the people of the prince who is to come”). As I also discussed previously here, wars and desolations are already increasing.
From Daniel 9:27 (RSV): And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
In this last week of the 70 weeks prophecy, this last 7 year period would begin in 2026. It is believed that the statement in the Book of Daniel: “the prince who is to come” (from Daniel 9:26) is a reference to the Antichrist, who will appear suddenly. As Our Lady said to Fr Gobi: ’One day, you will see in the holy place he who commits the horrible sacrilege. The prophet Daniel spoke of this. Let the reader seek to understand.’ (Mt 24, 15) (To The Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons, 12th Ed; locution 485).
Given that the Antichrist has to appear before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Catechism of The Catholic Church 675) and satan is the Great Imitator and Profaner; the Antichrist may well make his appearance in the next few years coinciding with the 2000th Jubilee of Our Lord’s public ministry on earth. It is believed Our Lord’s public ministry went for approximately three and a bit years. As I discussed in a previous post here, for one half of the week, (i.e for three and a half years starting around 2030), the Antichrist will put an end to the sacrifice of the Mass and erect the Abomination of Desolation in the sanctuary, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator (Daniel 9:27). As I described in that earlier post, in many ways, the Abomination of Desolation is already set up in the Church.
May Jesus and Mary be loved by all hearts
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