It appears that the seventieth week will follow the abundance-famine pattern of Joseph's rule in Egypt. The Jews will be forced to return to Christ during the second half of the week just as Jacob was forced out of Canaan by the years of famine.

Joseph was cast out by his brothers because they were jealous of his father's preference for him and outraged because of his dreams of ruling over his family. Although Joseph was cast out by their hands it was God who was arranging the events of Joseph's life. God was preparing a deliverer for Jacob, Egypt, and the remainder of the earth. Worldwide famine soon was to come.

The Divine training of Joseph for rulership was prolonged and severe. After Joseph had been tested fully he was exalted to great prominence. He also was given an Egyptian bride, Asenath. Joseph was now ready to serve as the deliverer during the seven lean years of affliction.

The career of Joseph is a type of the events of the end-time. God will give some of His saints visions of rulership. They then will be tested by rejection, by temptation, and by prolonged "imprisonment."

When their training has been accomplished to God's satisfaction they will be ready to serve as witnesses, as kings, as deliverers, and as eternal servants of God.

During the first half of the week the saints of the Lord will receive the double portion of the Holy Spirit in order to bear witness to all the nations of the earth.

As soon as the testimony has been given to the Lord's satisfaction, Antichrist will be permitted to overcome the testimony, driving it out of the cities of the earth. The true Christians, those who have refused to compromise with Antichrist, will flee into the wilderness. There they will be nourished and protected by the Lord, perhaps at the hand of "Elijahs" and "Elishas"—victorious saints who remain spiritually strong throughout the events of the last days (Daniel 11:32).

Notice the following:

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they [perhaps the strong saints] should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [3-1/2 years, a prophetic year being computed as 360 days]. (Revelation 12:6)

Although the "sacrifice" and the "grain offering" have ceased (perhaps referring to the fact that the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit come to an end in the middle of the week), yet there will be a remnant of the Christian believers who will stay true to their God, remaining spiritually pure through the intense spiritual darkness and oppression of the latter half of the week.

Joel speaks of "the great and the terrible day of the Lord." And then, in that time setting, he declares:

And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)

To be continued.