Introduction

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS BEFORE the actual events came to fruition in the Middle East, two dedicated Bible scholars predicted accurately several key years in the then approaching conflict for tenure of the holy Land and Jerusalem, involving a long prophesised regathering of the Jews to their Promised Land, after nearly 2000 years of Diaspora.

Doctors Clarke and Guinness pointed well in advance to the coming years 1902, 1917, 1947-8 and 1967 AD, having based their predictions on the 2,500 year old Biblical book of Daniel.

Not only did their advance forecasts prove accurate decades later, but those key 'Signpost Years’ continue to mark events and developments in the holy Land, ever since their occurrence in modern times, that now represent the specific themes of serious contention in the struggle for Peace in that region today.

These following NOTES explain the rational behind the Clarke-Guinness thinking in as fast and concise a form as possible, and elaborations will follow. A second critical aim here is not to prove 'The Signpost Years' correct, but rather to use the scientific approach of attempting their falsification first. You can help either way by passing on any objective comments to this site.

PART 1 Is an Introduction and looks at each of the Signpost Years as they were foretold in the writings of Guinness and Clarke. It looks at many of the side issues and has a number of detailed footnotes.

PART 2 Looks at the period 1901 – 1903, and the first of the Signpost Years predicted by Clarke in 1825. This part explains the huge significance of the period and sets the scene for a further link that comes in Part 4.

PART 3 Begins to address some of the typical questions that might arise in the mind of the reader regarding the Signpost Years. Items are added to this from time to time as new considerations are brought to light. Again, feel free to contribute any comments that will add to those pages.

PART 4 Looks at the Signpost Years in the light of the last 6 months of Christ’s Ministry, and especially the last week of messages He imparted to His followers for the future. It ties directly back into PART 2.


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Click on QUICK LINKS to Parts 1 to 4 of the Signpost Notes:
Part 1: Introduction, Timelines, Conclusion.
Part 2: The SignPost Year 1902 AD and Max Nordau
Part 3: Q & A on the Signpost Years
Part 4: Jesus and the Signpost Years



Tuesday 14 July 2009

Introduction

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS BEFORE the actual events came to fruition, two dedicated Bible scholars predicted accurately several key years in the Middle East Conflict for tenure of the holy Land, based on the 2,500 year old biblical book of Daniel. Not only did their advance predictions prove accurate, but those key ‘signpost years’ continue to mark events, ever since their occurrence, that now represent the specific themes of serious contention in the struggle for Peace in that region - down to the current day.


THE SIGNPOST YEARS.


The Bible repeatedly rests its credibility and authority on being a book of Prophecy. Critics, however, have often labelled many of its prophetic claims as being nothing more than ‘history parading as fulfilled prophecy’.
But one major theme of biblical prophecy is the dispersal and exile of the Jewish people among all nations of the world, an event which occurred at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD, to be followed by their eventual re-gathering to the promised Land 1), the latter also being an actual event that is relatively quite recent. Does the recencey of this key Bible theme in prophecy help us verify, or discredit, the bible’s claim to prophetic uniqueness?
The answer appears to be ‘yes’. Up to 140 years before the modern Middle East crisis ever began, two nineteenth century scholars predicted accurately from biblical texts four key years to ‘watch out’ for. It turned out that events in those years initiated the Jewish re-gathering to the holy Land and progressively exacerbated the ongoing conflicts there. Indicated in their writings as critical to the nation of Israel and its re-gathering would be the ‘Signpost Years’ 1902, 1917, 1947 and 1967. Is it really true that later history demonstrates the biblical predictions of Dr Adam Clarke and Dr Grattan Guinness to have been correct?
The First Predicted Time Line: 1902.Clarke noted in his well-known Commentary, writing in the year 1825:
'If we recon one thousand two hundred and ninety day-years, at verse 11 of Daniel 12, from that year, AD 612, it will bring us to AD 1902...which from the present year, 1825, is distant only seventy-seven years.' 2)
Clarke did not live to see the year 1902, but from his Sign-posting it can be readily observed that major and unique developments, involving the most violent pogroms and population migrations, for example, marked the commencement of the physical and spiritual re-gathering of the Jews to Israel.

In 1902:

The persecution and murder of Jews reached an unparalleled level for that time and extent in Europe 3) starting with the worst ever wave of Polish-Russian pogroms (1902 – 1906). This scattered Jews across Europe, with 2 million moving to America also, looking for a place of escape and safety 4).In 1902:

Anti-Semitism, for the first time ever, became 'global' (rather than sporadic and local), exacerbated by the publishing of the most accusative and anti-Semitic text ever: "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion." It claimed to list in detail the covert, cruel and devious ways by which the Jews were ‘taking over the world’. The accusations in the Protocols, referenced by Hitler in his book Mein Kampf, culminated 25 years later with his Holocaust against the Jews - the ultimate pogrom. 5)
In 1902:

For the first time in 2,000 years, the very first organised, financed and constituted (Zionist) Jews began to return to their former Country Israel - the year 1902-3 being listed by historians as the commencement of ‘ERETZ ISRAEL’; the great return to the holy Land. 6)

In 1902:
1902 saw the founding of the religious-Judaic branch of Zionism, established for ‘re-making Judaism’s home in the ancient Land of Israel’ for the fist time in 2,000 years. The movement was founded by Rav Jacob Reines at its first Congress in Vilna. 6)
There can be very little doubt that all these events were highly significant in initiating the return of the Jews to their former holy Land after centuries of their Diaspora (scattering) among the nations. The consequence, to date, has been a political and religious clash between Jews, Palestinian and Islamic groups in the Middle East and Israel - a situation many leading politicians have said is now the most serious threat to World Peace.
Second Predicted Time Line: 1917.Using Clarke’s method of interpretation, but based on Daniel chapter four (verse 16, 25), Dr Grattan Guinness wrote in 1886:
'The starting year, 605 BC, has therefor some special claims to be considered as a very principle starting point of the times of the Gentiles. Measured from it the period runs out in AD 1917, and it is a very notable fact that a second most remarkable period does the same.' 7) 15)
Guinness in his writings made it clear that this 'doubly indicated time,' the then future year AD 1917, would be highly significant for the Middle East, the Jews, Islam, the Turkish nation and Moslem Ottoman Empire. Again, what does the historical record that followed his advance Sign-posting actually show?In 1917:

The Islamic Ottoman Empire, after centuries of tenure over the Middle East, collapsed in 1917 as World War 1 was ending and it lost control of the holy Land and Jerusalem 8) – events which still antagonise and bewilder many Moslems to this day for why, they ask, after centuries had Allah allowed their holy empire and religious sites to fall into the hands of infidels? Many Moslems came to blame this on their ‘compromise with the West’ - from which they ‘should now radically turn.’In 1917:

A Jewish chemist in Britain greatly facilitated the wining of the First World War (by improving the explosive yield of chemical weapons 9)) and in gratitude was granted by the British Government his request to see the establishment of a State of Israel in the holy Land – issued as the famous and landmark 1917 Balfour Declaration.10) Again, the Palestinian Arabs who had sought just such a State themselves, and having helped the British take the holy City Jerusalem from the Turks in 1917, felt thoroughly betrayed and outraged over this. That outrage continues to the current time.

Again, for Islam, the Jews and the status of the Middle East, 1917 was another Signpost year, portending the further complicating trends to come and raising issues that are critical in the Middle East situation down to today.
The specific events Guinness anticipated, such as the fall of the Ottoman Empire opening the way for a Jewish re-gathering to the holy Land, had never occurred before and can never take place again, as such, and must therefore be specific to that envisioned year, 1917.

Third Predicted Time Line: 1947 - 8Clarke, writing in 1825, continues:

'But we are left totally in the dark relative to the time from which these 1335 years in Daniel 12 are to be recorded. If, however, we recon them from the above epoch, AD 612, when the Moslem faith arose, they would lead to AD 1947.' 11) Could Clarke have simply guessed that the year 1947 – 8 would be another critical landmark year for the Jews and Middle East, 122 years ahead of any such key occurrence?

In 1947-8:

In November 1947 the United Nations voted in favour of partitioning Palestine as a home for Arabs and the Jews. For the first time in 2,500 years an independent Sovereign State of Israel would exist once again, approved by UN vote. 12) For 40 centuries, the Jewish people had survived the rise and disappearance of entire world empires: Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Greece, the Assyrian, and others. They alone were to return to their former home State just as, and when, the Bible had prophesied.

In 1947-8:

Just months following the UN decision, the British departed their temporary Mandate in the holy Land and the Jewish leader, David Ben-Gurion, declared the State of Israel immediately. Within several hours, five Arab forces attacked (Egypt, the Iraqi army, the Arab Legion, Syria and Lebanon) to destroy the new-born State. 13)Hugely out-numbered and out gunned 14), the Jews and their State remarkably survived the attack in this, their ‘War of Independence.’

The current ongoing widespread call by some for ‘the elimination of the State of Israel’ and ‘the destruction of the Zionist entity’, and the denunciation of its supporters overseas, has ever since 1947-8 featured regularly and conspicuously as an item of reported news from the region – highlighting a principle demand that fuels the central unrest and terrorism of the Middle East today.
Causationally linked to the others, 1947-8 was clearly another Signpost year.


Fourth Time Line Year: 1967Finally, in 1825, Clarke writes:'If we date these years from the vision of the he-goat in Daniel chapter 8, Alexander's invading Asia in BC 334, then 2,300 years from that time will reach to 1967 AD, or one hundred and forty years from the present 1825 AD.' 15)
We, with the benefit of retrospective hindsight, and over 180 years after the Clarke-Guinness prospective Sign-posting, now know that the entire Middle East dilemma is currently predicated on momentous key events exactly involving 1902, 1917 and 1947 specifically. We also know that the other Signpost year, 1967, was certainly no exception either:


In 1967:
The pivotal 1967 ‘Six Day War’ in the Middle East was started by an erroneous (but deliberate) Russian Intelligence report leading to the war, the consequences of which backfired seriously on the USSR’s allies in that region. By stealth and surprise, not only did the Israelis devastate the threatening air forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in a single day, but they went on to capture the Golan Heights and the Old City of Jerusalem, giving the Jews Sovereign jurisdiction of their former Biblical capital City, and Sanctuary (Temple) area, for the first time in over 2,500 years.16)

Conclusion:

Up to the first Signpost year 1902, and for the previous 19 centuries, there had always been a small remnant number of Jews living in the holy Land, and small sporadic migrations back there had occurred from time to time. Localised and impromptu pogroms and expulsions in parts of Europe had also occurred down the centuries. But the events associated with the Signpost years were hugely elaborated against any previous historical or geographical comparisons. The holocaust event alone, leading directly to the 1947 UN decision to provide the Jews a home land in Palestine, can leave no doubt about that.

And the most recent of the Signpost years, 1967, is a further time marker noted in repeated newscasts out of the Middle East today, with continuing demands ever since that ‘Israel surrender its gains in the Six Day War over the Golan Heights, the settlement territories and holy City Jerusalem.’ But the latter gain in particular, with its holy Western (Wailing) Wall, the Jews insist they will never relinquish again.

The Middle East Signpost years 1902, 1917, 1947 and 1967 were inherent in the Old Testament book of Daniel over a period of 25 centuries. Un-wrapped by biblical scholars decades before they could be verified, and challenged in a prospective ‘time will tell’ test of validity17), those exact Signpost time-markers alerted Clarke and Guinness, well in advance, to approaching major landmark events for the re-gathering of the Jewish people, and for the holy Land.
And the very consequences of those events are far from forgotten today. On the contrary, the precise reverberations of those specific ‘Signpost years’ are now reported, every single day in the global News Media, out of Israel and the entire turbulent Middle East. The whole intractable situation there is directly linked to those biblically foretold key time signatures.

These ‘end time Signs’ both Christ and Daniel tell us will culminate in a coming period of unparalleled global tribulation (Matt 24:14-22. Dan 12:1).

Of course, if Biblical prophecy is substantiated on these ‘Signpost’ grounds, then the Bible itself is substantiated - and Authenticated - for all of its other claims also.


References and Notes:1) Deuteronomy 28:58-68 with Luke 21:20-24. The reason for this exile and expulsion is given at Luke 19:41-44. 2) Clarke., Adam. 'Commentary and Critical Notes' in vol. IV, Isaiah to Malachi. Published as The Holy Bible, Thomas Tegg and Son, London, 1836. p 3257 (Daniel 12). These and his further comments are entirely accurate representations of Clarke's notes, only paraphrased, with Guinness also, for clarity and context.3) Starting at Czestochowa and Bialystok in 1902 and running until 1906, this pogrom series (acts of mob violence and killing) became specifically political and by far the worst of several previous waves, and was "stimulated by a growing hatred of the Jews encouraged by the government." - Bacon., J. 'The Illustrated Atlas of the Jewish Civilisation: 4000 Years of Jewish History.' Quantum publishing plc, 2003. p 153.4) "1902-3: Anti-Jewish violence in Russia intensifies the Jewish interest in settling Palestine." - St John., R. 'Israel'. Time-Life International. 1962. p 152.5) Appearing at the time of the first ever Zionist Convention in 1897, and circulated in private by 1902, critically 'The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion' were then published in 1903 and translated thence into many languages globally. It is generally considered to be ‘the most famous (and infamous) piece of anti-Semitic literature in the world.' (as in 3, p 152). Hitler, in Mein Kampf, referenced it as 'evidence' against the Jews. - emphasis added.6) 1902 was the real start of the return of the Jews to their former holy Land: "A series of pogroms in Russia just after the turn of the century sent a new wave of immigrants to Palestine. They represented the fruit of the first decade of Herzl's movement. Practical idealists, those immigrants were Zionism's first pioneers, and from their ranks would come half a century of leadership for the movement." - Collins., L and Lapierre., D.
'O, Jerusalem.' Granada publishing. 1982. p 8"1902 - 1914 ERETZ ISRAEL. Twenty-nine settlements were started by the World Zionist Organisation."
www.davidsconsultants.com/jewishhistory/ (entry under 1902)- see also references to the 5th Zionist Congress, for Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), and Blue Box. 7) Quoted from 'Light For The Last Days' by Dr H. Grattan Guinness, in 'Prophecy. Evidence for Truth', vol 3. Pearce., Dr E.K. Victor. ISBN 1 898066 03 5. Eastbourn, UK. 1993. p 170. 8) The Ottoman Turks had sided with Germany in 1914. Their loss of tenure over Jerusalem came in 1917 on December 8th when British and Arab forces, under General Edmund Allenby, captured Jerusalem from those Muslims. The Turks had been opposed to Jewish resettlement by the Zionist Movement, but the end of World War 1 saw Turkey and Arabia carved up by the British and others, and the collapse of the once powerful Ottoman Empire. (ref. 3 page 186). Terrorist videos out of the Middle East today repeatedly refer angrily to those events.9) This was the Russian-Jewish chemist Chaim Weizmann who was eventually elected Israel's first President. It is interesting that another major scientific breakthrough (e = mc2) by a Jew, Albert Einstein, was also resolving in ending world war two, with the later American use of the atom bomb, based on that physics. - see Fry., S. 'The Wonderful Story Of The Jews.' Fry publishing. London. 1970. p 8110) Much quoted from November 2nd 1917: "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this objective..." - Balfour.11) As 2, page 3257 (Daniel 12).12) After some three decades in a 'peace' keeping role in Palestine, on May 14th 1948 the British abandoned the region, fully aware that war would follow at once between the Jews and Arabs. Demands for the re-instatement of the Palestinians displaced at that time are repeatedly made down to the current day, as a ‘condition for peace’. 13) No one expected Israel, as a newly created State, to exist for more than a few hours, or days at most, in the face of the combined onslaught from the surrounding Arab nations.14) Transjordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt attacked Israel. More than 6,000 died out of the Jewish population of 650,000 (as ref. 3, p 197).Transjordan sported many of the formidable 10,000 Bedouin troops, 5,000 troops came from Egypt, the Iraqi army allocated 10,000 with 8,000 from Syria and 2,000 from Lebanon, some 30,000 in all. - Westwood., J.N. 'The History of the Middle East Wars.' Hamlyn Pubs. London. 1964. p 12.15) A certain, corrective, licence has been taken here since Clarke actually wrote '1966' at this point. However, while he was an unquestionably excellent scholar of ancient texts and languages, he was not such a good mathematician and he neglected to adjust for one year in counting 2,300 prophetic years from 334 BC. There is no year zero between BC and AD, so the year he actually intended would be 1967 AD.
Interestingly, Guinness made exactly the same mistake, but since the year of accession of Nebuchadnezzar was 604 BC, adjusting for ‘no year zero’ means : (1917 + 604) – 1 = 2520 (Daniel 4:16) years, fully in line with Gratton’s original thinking. - See Orr., James. MA, DD. ‘International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia’: “Nebuchadnezzar succeeded his father on the throne of Babylon in 604 BC.” in searchgodsword.org/ (under Nebuchadnezzar).
16) From 604 BC under conquering king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to 1967 AD, or some 2570 years.

17) The Clarke-Guinness ‘Signpost Years’ are the nearest thing one can get to having conducted a ‘scientific experiment in prophecy’, starting with a set of biblical observations (in the book of Daniel) to generate a Working Hypothesis (the time markers there will involve the future re-gathering of the Jews) and predict measurable associated outcomes (a future time span involving the four embedded test-years upholding the hypothesis) in a ‘double blind’ procedure (both researchers actually died before they could see the outcomes), using a quantifiable data set (specific nominal years).

18) Clarke and Guinness used the standard ‘Tropical/Julian Year’ of 365.242 days. In Daniel 9, and starting from the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 BC, subtracting the 7 ‘sevens’ (49 years) brings the first period to 408 BC. Then, 62 ‘sevens’ (434 years) bring us to 27 AD (408 BC- 27 AD – 1), the year of Jesus’ baptism. And the middle of the final ‘seven’ (7 years) to the crucifixion, 31 AD.
karl krysko. 7may.