When This is That: A Man is Needed

For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulder.
And his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  (, MEV)

Isaiah 9:6

This text is a portion of Handel’s Messiah. That’s how I have it memorized, complete with the music, and how it Is sung. In the composer’s mind, Wonderful is a standalone name of Jesus Christ. As is Counselor.

I don’t think there is really any argument that this text is referring to Jesus Christ. He is called God’s Son. He is Unique in nature. I think that will become very clear.

There are many who get confused about how God portrays Himself in His Word. Technically, the Word is Him, too. By John 1, that is made clear.

He also says of Himself that there is none like Him. Meaning there is no frame of reference for comparison.

Isaiah 9:6 portrays God, specifically Jesus Christ. Oddly, the Child given, the Son born, He is called Eternal Father. How can the Son of God be the Eternal Father God?

That seems confusing. Buckle up!

This also comes from the Lord of Hosts,
who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

Isaiah 28:29

It seems that Isaiah, writing God’s words, is drawing attention with those two words again. The Lord of Hosts is wonderful in counsel. The Lord of Hosts is Jehovah Sabaoth.

If you’re not picking up what God is telling of Himself… Jesus is Jehovah God. He is the Jehovah of Hosts. The One Who commands the armies of Heaven. The One Who goes to war. Of course, the idea that comes to mind may be this:

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

Revelation 19:11–14

There is a whole prophetic panorama to which this is a part. Jesus is prophesied to come as a newborn human baby, the Son given by God. He is obviously highly esteemed even in the Godhead. He is also called the Prince of Peace. This seems to an opposing idea to the Lord of Hosts. The passage in Revelation above speaks of a time of great judgment that comes on the people of the Earth when Jesus returns. He will handily vanquish His enemies, having the evidence clearly presented on His white robe.

There is far more than just this… Yet there is enough given for a foundation toward understanding… Jesus is God. Which brings this around to the age-old supposed gotcha question, “But did Jesus ever say He is God?”

Personally, being familiar with many passages in the Tanakh, understanding the audience He spoke to, and considering the phrases and words He used… It is a resounding “Yes!

The casual reader may not ever pick that out. So why is that important?

Consider this passage:

Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself? For He said, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ”
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
They said to Him, “Who are You?
Jesus said to them, “Just who I have been telling you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true. So I tell the world what I heard from Him.”
They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as My Father taught Me. He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

John 8:21–30

Look at that last sentence. What was said in this passage that caused many to get saved?

What does it mean they believed in Him?

Working backwards, some clues can help make it clear. Many then didn’t know that Jesus was speaking of the Father. Who is the God of the Israelis. It is John’s additional contextual clues that demand attention.

It came from a question; the people present wanted to know Who He is. They asked, “Who are you?” This came, even after He had told them exactly Who He is.

“For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The English is a factual translation. The word He is added to make correct English. What Jesus really said is, “For unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

Either way, there were some present with Jesus who knew that Jesus was saying to them, unless one believes I am (Jehovah), they die in their sins.

I’m always fascinated by this stuff. I can understand the skepticism and confusion of some in the crowd. Yet not the same consideration is extended to the skeptics of today. It seems to come from the idea of how could Jehovah be a man?

It is hard to consider, even presently. The Bible says that Jesus, Jehovah God, did something unique.

Let this mind be in you all, which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, being in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
But He emptied Himself,
taking upon Himself the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men.
And being found in the form of a man,
He humbled Himself
and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5–11

This text tries to capture the high-level view, while drilling down into some details that must be considered. I think the many names ascribed to Jesus are from the Father, Who is obviously well-pleased with His Son. He humbled Himself to die. It was not just any death. The text mentions the cross, as death is the ultimate humility.

I have really big and deep thoughts here. Ones that are hard to explain. Suffice it to say, this Jesus suffered the ultimate humility, not just death alone… But a shameful one.

Yes, Jehovah died.

I know how unsettling that thought is! A proper understanding of what death is and is not helps here. Death is not non-existence. Death is what happens to physical human bodies. When Jesus died, He did not cease existing. That is a key foundation to hold.

I think it is one of those really deep things that the God I know suffered the humility of death. He has been there and defeated it.

Yet, He had to die.

Paul writes a long treatise on the greatest victory ever. It is in 1 Corinthians 15. That victory is the resurrection! That one event is the greatest victory, ever, anywhere! He could not have risen again, unless He died first. That can only happen to a physical human body.

It was a war on death itself.

In this mountain the Lord of Hosts shall prepare
for all people a lavish feast,
a feast of aged wines,
choice pieces full of marrow, and refined, aged wines.
He will destroy in this mountain
the covering which is over all peoples,
even the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death for all time,
and the Lord God will wipe away tears
from all faces;
and the reproach of His people He shall take away
from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken it.

Isaiah 25:6–8

For the reformers who embrace limited atonement, this passage eliminates that idea. The victory is over the thing that affects all peoples and all nations. That thing is death. Who is it that swallows up death for all peoples and all nations for all time?

It is Jehovah of Hosts… Jesus Christ.

As an aside, when I read this passage, there are precise details here that may be missed. It is Jesus Who goes to war. It is the Holy Spirit that ministers to people, wiping away their tears. It is the Father declaring the plan.

Jehovah had to be a Man to conquer God’s enemy… Death. The Bible clearly states that the last enemy to be defeated will be death.

The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:26

I find it fitting that there is one prophet who laid this all out beforehand. Knowing Jesus is the Right Hand of Jehovah and that death is the real enemy, this song of Moses and Israel comes to new life. Israel faced certain death, walled in on a beach with Pharaoh’s army quickly approaching. Who is the One Who wars against death?

Jesus.

This is that. When Moses says Jehovah is a man of war, it is true and prophetic, because only a Man can die. And only a Man can wage war on death. Only a Man can defeat death by resurrection. All hail King Jesus!

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for He has triumphed gloriously!
He has thrown the horse and his rider
into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
The Lord is a man of war;
the Lord is His name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
He has thrown into the sea;
his chosen captains also
are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them;
they sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of Your excellence,
You overthrow those who rise up against You.
You send out Your wrath;
it consumes them like stubble.
With the blast of Your nostrils
the waters were gathered together.
The flowing waters stood upright as a heap;
and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

“The enemy said,
‘I will pursue. I will overtake.
I will divide the spoil;
my lust shall be satisfied upon them.
I will draw my sword,
my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with Your wind,
and the sea covered them;
they sank like lead
in the mighty waters.

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You,
glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises,
doing wonders?
You stretched out Your right hand,
and the earth swallowed them.

“In Your mercy You have led
the people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them by Your strength
to Your holy dwelling.
The peoples have heard and are afraid;
sorrow has taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then the chiefs of Edom were amazed;
the mighty men of Moab, trembling takes hold of them;
all the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.
Fear and dread fall upon them;
by the greatness of Your arm
they are as still as a stone,
until Your people pass over, O Lord,
until the people whom You have purchased pass over.
You shall bring them in, and plant them
on the mountain of Your inheritance,
in the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwelling,
in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
The Lord will reign
forever and ever.”

Exodus 15:1–18

Do Not Be Ignorant of the Rapture

But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus1.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14

Yes, this will be yet another post on what the rapture is and what it is not. To begin, take a look at how Paul introduces the concept. First, this is for those who hope in the goodness of the Lord. It is not hope like one thinks contemporarily, that is that all things will work out. The hope here is that confident expectation that God will do what He promises to do. It is the same confidence the believers who have already passed held. And they will see the real promises of God come to be. The certainty of the Christian’s resurrection rests on Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Contrast that to those who have no hope. People will perish and their bodies will rot in the grave. Perhaps that is the idea that is being considered, as it is probably the case that these Thessalonians knew that the dead bodies of people rotted away. With that knowledge, would come the expectation that these would miss out on the Jesus coming for them and instantly changing their bodies into incorruptible ones. The believers’ dead bodies would have become altogether corrupt. Paul explains that the dead in Jesus have the same sure end… Incorruptibility.

He also connects this hope to resurrection. The text is clearly saying that God will lead away with Jesus Christ those who sleep in Jesus. This tracks in a similar explanation of what the promise of resurrection is in the first part of 1 Corinthians 15. Thought scholars believe this epistle predates the ones to the Corinthians. Where it differs though, is the promise of the sudden change and relocation of the living Holy Ones when Jesus comes to lead them away. That is, this is primarily a relocation event commensurate with Jesus’ promise.

“Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also. You know where I am going, and you know the way.”

John 14:1–4

This is all commensurate on that promise Jesus would come and take believers with Him. I know many believe this to be a rapture text. I think it is far more than just that. Jesus promises to receive any believer to Himself. Not only to receive, but to come get them. What I mean is that when someone is dying, Jesus is there to receive that person. The unspoken part between Jesus’ words and what Paul writes in one of his first epistles is the idea that living holy ones would see the coming of Jesus. The other unspoken part is that they would be taken away with Him.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:15

I will again make the case that this is not a resurrection event. Even though predeceased believers are given incorruptible bodies to go with Jesus, it is not the resurrection at the end of the age. Those passed on before have the privilege of being first. There are precise distinctions between what is promised to Israel and church- age holy ones. (That is explored in this post: The Surprising Way that Resurrection Proves Futurism and the Rapture Before the Hour of Testing)

If the resurrection is at the end of the age, those alive in the nations at His second advent enter the millennium. They will be the population of Earth dwellers that Jesus will reign over. They will be believers in human bodies like we have now. They will not be incorruptible. They will be primarily Israelis. Yet believers nonetheless.

Those will not be led away with Jesus, to be with Him. And the world will be ruled from Jerusalem with a rightful King until His enemies have been vanquished. Again, these are two distinct programs. One is for the body of Christ. The other is for Israel.

No Bible passage says there is only one second coming. Likewise, no Bible passage calls Jesus’ return the second coming. The term is coined, and it comes loaded with some baggage. The baggage leads some to ridicule the relocation of the body of church-age holy ones as if it were some secret. Though Paul called it a mystery, it is no secret. The meaning of the Greek word translated as mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51 is Paul overtly and publicly explaining something that is henceforth no longer hidden. It’s no secret. When someone calls it a secret event, it is for ridicule. It is also to sow seeds of doubt in the mind. It is being dismissive to the text, it is okay to dismiss what they say and correct them.

A real conundrum exists if the rapture occurs at the second advent. The enemies of Jesus consisting of principalities and powers are sequestered away. The living human servants of those powers on earth are summarily vanquished and their souls sequestered away. If believers are glorified, pulled up to meet Jesus and return with Him then… Who populates the millennial kingdom?

To consider the two events as the same one is going to result in some form of replacement theology. Replacement theology teaches that the universal church has replaced Israel. All of the promises of Israel belong to the church. Most use a passage in Romans 9 as the basis of the error. Rest assured, the universal church has not replaced Israel. And praise the Lord for that!

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16

The shout and the voice of the archangel is the command to assemble. It is signified by the trumpet call. It is not helpful to examine the usual apocalyptic literature in the Bible to understand this. Perhaps it has more to do with the first mention of trumpet in the Bible. It is in Exodus. It is connected with Israel at Mount Sinai.

When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

Exodus 19:13b

The trumpet blast is a call to assembly. This pattern was established then. It is also iterated again… This time with a shout!

So on the third day, in the morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet. All the people who were in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely covered in smoke because the Lord had descended upon it in fire, and the smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.

Exodus 19:16–19

Note how Moses, typifying Jesus, led the people out to meet God where He is. This idea tracks with exactly what Paul is saying.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Believers are called out to a meeting with the Lord in the air.

At this point, I have to say that there is an external context applied here by some scholars. It has to do with the Greek word translated into English meeting. The Greek word is apantēsis. It is said it could be used to describe the arrival of a visiting dignitary and the custom of the citizens of a city to go outside and meet them.

According to the ancient customs, citizens left the city to meet the honored one and escort him back to their city amidst great celebration. It is said that Paul may have used this image because it would be familiar to his audience. The custom is then used to imply that believers escort Jesus back to earth. In the text, there is no explicit description of either a procession to earth or to heaven. Just the promise that holy ones will be forever with the Lord.

Paul says believers will meet the Lord in the clouds, that space immediately above the earth. To further help this imagery is the implication that Jesus is arriving in the ancient style of god warriors. That is, He is coming in or on the clouds as if believers were meeting Him in His battle space.

While fancy, that cannot be the case. First, Jesus is not mentioned as coming in the clouds in 1 Thessalonians 4. We meet Him in the clouds. Second, Jesus’ battle space is clearly on the Earth.

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather for the supper of the great God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of strong men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great!”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.

Revelation 19:11–21

Third, if all believers are glorified and all unbelievers vanquished… Who populates the Millennial Kingdom?

Taking an external context and imposing it onto the Bible can be troublesome. And in these days when the rapture is mocked and scorn, it is imperative to study the entirety of the text of the Bible. It is going to require comprehensive diligence, but remember the Bible provides the best explanation and context for Itself.

It is easy to learn to parrot a line because it sounds like a plausible way to explain away the pre-trib rapture. In this case, the pre-tribulatioin rapture is introduced amidst some form of ridicule. It’s secret, or it has only been taught for 150 years in the church. As shown, both of those ideas are really lies. Speculation is then added to the Bible to make it say something it does not. This is long before someone produces a Bible text or two.

Often, it is the usual proof texts… Like in Matthew 25 when the bridegroom comes. The bridegroom comes to take those ready away, not to bring them back with him. Or in Acts 28 when Paul is greeted on his way to Rome to be executed. What the text does not say is that the people who met him were taken anywhere else by anyone, let alone with Paul who was in custody.

The rapture is not about us meeting Jesus Christ in the air to escort Him back to earth. It is for the church-age holy one to be forever with Jesus Christ where He is. As demonstrated, the timing necessary to the post-trib rapture does not work. That makes it heterodoxy in nature.

This event outlined by Paul in 1 Thessalonians is not the second advent of Jesus to the nation of Israel. It is the second advent of Jesus to church-age saints. And it is well before He comes at the end of the age..

The Seventieth — Jubilee!

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord. For six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruit, but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.

Leviticus 25:2–4

Most folks are already familiar with the Sabbath, which occurs weekly on Saturdays. When considering the entirety of the Torah, sabbath is more than an every Saturday occurrence. It is more than just a day, too. It is also more than just for humans. The passage above mandates a sabbath year of rest for the land. Just as God instructs Moses, he will pass on the information to the Israelis. They are to let the land rest every seven years.

With the seventh-year sabbath, God has further instructions for the Israelis that will be explored. These are instructions on counting years. As it is with the Word of God, some peculiarities deserve attention. These are encoded within these instructions.

Take the number six in this passage. Six days are given to humans to work the land. The seventh year is a sabbath for the land and for the Lord. It’s not that He needs rest, the land is to have rest, leading the people to the Lord to provide for them.

The numbers in the text are not there by mistake. The interplay of six and seven seems to be overt. The Bible tells us that six is the number of man in Revelation 13:18. Man was created on the sixth day. In the same manner, humans work the land for six years, giving the land rest on the seventh. Seven is the number of God. It almost sounds synergistic, because it is.

That which grows by itself from your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your unpruned vines, for it is a year of complete rest for the land. The sabbath produce of the land shall be food for you: for you, and for your male and female servants, and for your hired servant, and for your stranger who sojourns with you, and for your livestock, and for the wild animals in your land, shall all its increase be food.

Leviticus 25:5–7

The synergism between God and humans continues. While the land is cultivated by humans for six years giving them provision and sustenance, it rests for God on the seventh. Humans are instructed to not eat of their cultivation even the unpruned vines. What grows from the wild shall be sustenance for all. In other words, God will provide their needs.

Seven leads to God.

Seven Times Seven

You shall count seven sabbath weeks of years, seven times seven years, and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall sound the horn blasts on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall make the sound of the horn throughout all your land. You shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all the inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee to you, and each of you shall return to his possession, and every person shall return to his family. That fiftieth year will be a Jubilee for you. You shall neither sow nor reap that which grows by itself, nor gather the grapes of your unpruned vines.

Leviticus 25:8–11

Six and seven are the prominent numbers in the previous text. The repertoire is now expanded to include ten, forty-nine, and fifty.

There is now a counting of years assigned to a different purpose. It marks the time of restoration for the people of Israel, which is called the Jubilee. There is much to learn about the Jubilee and restoration. Some of that will be explored, but it will not be comprehensive.

Jubilee is the time when sold land is returned to the owner, and it is the time when slaves are set free. Land was never really sold in ancient Israel. It was rented knowing it would be restored at the Jubilee. The indentured were also rented, knowing that release from their bondage came at the Jubilee.

Seven sets of seven years are counted. Seven is the number of God, and seven squared is forty-nine (72=49.) Forty-nine years are counted. The fiftieth year follows and is then consecrated and proclaimed when it begins. In addition to freedom and restoration, it is a sabbath year of rest for the land. There is more here that will be examined a bit later.

The Jubilee was announced on the seventh month on the tenth day. This is 10 Tishri. Tishri is the seventh month. As noted before, the number seven is the number of God. It signifies perfection and completion. Those meanings are gleaned from the creation narrative among other places. The number ten means completeness of order. This is also gleaned from the creation narrative where the phrase “God said” is used ten times. Ten is also the number of commandments given to Moses.

Seventh Month, Tenth Day

10 Tishri is also one of the moedim (feast days) given to Israel. It is the Day of Atonement solemnized by the selection of two goats, one offered for the presence of God and the other carrying sins away. The rituals prescribed for that day also signify the idea of freedom from the bondage of sin and restoration. In addition to that celebration, every fiftieth year Jubilee is proclaimed by the blasting of the shofar.

This combination of the seventh month and the tenth day has another obscured message. The numbers seven, perfection, and ten, completeness of order… It follows that this day marks the perfection of complete order.

It must be noted that Israelis observe more than one calendar. The sacred one is the most familiar. It begins in the month of Nisan. This one was instituted by God after the flood of Noah. The original calendar from Genesis had the new year on 1 Tishri, which is one of the moedim celebrated as the Feast of Trumpets. As seen in the text, Tishri is the new year for counting years and on the original calendar Noah used before it was changed.

I don’t mean this to be an exhaustive study of biblical numerology or Israeli calendars. But as I study and write, fascinating things come to mind; thoughts scatter, and I try to render some coherence.

Nisan/Tishri

Counting the seventh month from Nisan brings one to Tishri. The seventh month from Tishri is Nisan. Both Nisan and Tishri begin the new year on differing calendars. The difference in calendars is only which month is first. The order of them stays the same. Even more unsettling, six full months are counted to get to the seventh. The interplay of this pattern is repeated if one pays attention.

Now, consider that Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat on 17 Nisan (seventh month, seventeenth day, Genesis 8:4.) Coincidentally, 17 Nisan is the month and day of the resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection Day is three days away from the sacrifice of Passover on 14 Nisan. The Passover lambs were selected on 10 Nisan and brought into the home. Which is the seventh month and tenth day of the original calendar. Again as coincidence would have, 10 Nisan is the same day and month Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.

Of course, I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe in the precision of the Bible. Every detail is there by design. There are multiple interplays of seven and ten that purposefully and overtly point to the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Lunar Calendar

The Hebrew calendar is lunar. It has a year with 360 days. There are twelve months in most years. But there are also a thirteenth and a fourteenth month to accommodate the differences between solar and lunar calendars. Why a thirteenth and fourteenth month, though?

Consider the listings of the twelve tribes of Israel in the Tanakh. Each one is never the same, even the order of the names can be different. The tribe of Dan becomes obscured to the point of non-existence. Sometimes Ephraim and Manasseh are included in the lists. Obviously, there is also a thirteenth and fourteenth tribe of Israel.

I understand the unsettling nature of this information.

A similar pattern is present in the listing of the inner circle of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Like Dan above, a time came when Judas was gone. The lot fell on Matthias as his replacement. Jesus fell on Paul in Light on the Damascus Road making Paul an apostle. It follows that there is also a thirteenth and fourteenth apostle.

How do I assimilate that?

I know this all seems to get rather blurry. I think it allows for a greater degree of precision and design. Many will read past these, but God conceals things for His glory. And for those who diligently seek for those hidden things. When one encounters a listing, the names and their order become significant, and even a clue as to a hidden deeper meaning. Even the omission of one or more has meaning to explore.

Seven and Ten, Seventeen and Seventy

As has been shown, seven and ten are meaningful on their own. Added together they become seventeen. Seventeen is the day the Ark rested at Ararat. It is the day Jesus rose from the dead. Seventeen is the number of new beginnings, God vanquishes the enemy. (The last enemy to be destroyed is death.) Seventeen is complete order in perfection.

Seven times ten is seventy. And like seventeen above, it has significance. Seventy connotes perfection in complete order. Seventy members of Jacob’s family come to Joseph in Egypt. There are seventy elders appointed to help Moses with the affairs of the people. There are seventy Gentile nations. Seventy weeks are given to Israel. The number seventy is a complete set, or as the Hebraism is all of them.

When Jesus teaches about forgiveness, he says to forgive seventy times seven, it is more than hyperbole. The inherent meaning of the numbers is to forgive all of the sins of another completely and perfectly.

Correcting the Common Misconceptions

The counting of the seven weeks of years gives a forty-nine-year period. It is when the fiftieth year is announced and liberty is proclaimed that the cycle is complete. The common misconception in counting the Jubilees is they occur every fifty years, which is taken to count fifty between them. It is not fifty, but forty-nine. When the Jubilee is proclaimed the cycle completes and resets. It becomes the first year of the next cycle. This is just as God prescribed it. That concept may prove difficult to grasp, nevertheless, it is the reality.

There is another misconception about counting that may be easily overlooked.

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord.

Leviticus 25:2

Examine the text closely for the clue. Through Moses, God told the Israelis that the first year was a sabbath year. It would also mean it is the first year in the count to the forty-ninth year for the Jubilee.

For six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruit,

Leviticus 25:3

There is a slightly different way of numbering for the sabbath. It is not a count. The Israelis were to work the land for six years, and the seventh is a sabbath. It is a different system. Because the year Israelis entered the Promised Land is a sabbath, the next year is year one of six years of working the land. The seventh would be the sabbath year.

Say that Israel entered the Promised Land in the year 1406 BC. 1405 BC would be the first year of working the land, with 1400 BC as the sixth. 1399 BC would be a sabbath year. Following the pattern of sabbath years, 1392 BC, 1385 BC, 1378 BC, 1371 BC, 1364 BC, and 1357 BC. 1357 would then be the first Jubilee. It would be the fiftieth year from 1406 BC. The forty-ninth year, counting seven sevens would be 1358 BC. The next year was the Jubilee. It would also be the first year in our next count of forty-nine to the second Jubilee in 1308 BC. Do the math, 1357–1308=49.

The number of years between Jubilees is forty-nine in the way God instituted the count. The fiftieth year is proclaimed, and the next count begins. Meaning it is year one of the next count to forty-nine. The way it works is the Jubilees will always be in a sabbath year.

The count may seem confusing, but God has already given the precedent for this count.

Shavuot (Pentecost)

You shall count seven full weeks from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf bundle of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.

Leviticus 23:15–16

Counting seven full weeks after the Sabbath after Passover, each week beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday. Seven full weeks brings us to Sunday… Not Saturday. Just as the Israelis were to count six years of working the land, these were full years, to arrive at the seventh. The forty-ninth day, Saturday, is part of the seven full weeks. The Holy Spirit provided error correction in the next way of counting. Counting 50 days from Sunday ensures the end day is always Sunday.

It is in this way that the count to Jubilee is related to the count to Shavuot. It also provides a foundation for understanding the meaning of the number fifty. It has already been shown that it signifies freedom and deliverance. It also leads directly to the Holy Spirit.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Acts 2:1–4

The number fifty connects with the giving of the promised Holy Spirit at the birth of the church in the first century. The correlation between Shavuot and Jubilee is not a coincidence. Both occur on a celebration of the fiftieth. One of the fiftieth day, the other on the fiftieth year. Adding importance, Pentecost occurred on the fiftieth day from the resurrection of Jesus.

These numbers are all interlaced in meaning and concept. Seven times ten makes seventy. That number has precise biblical significance, too. Seventy is a perfect complete set.

What if there is a complete set of Jubilees for Israel?

The Complete Set in Daniel

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which were specified by the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the accomplishment of the desolations of Jerusalem, that is, seventy years. I set my face toward the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Daniel 9:1–3

The significance of the numbers seven and ten provided much to ponder. When adding seven to ten, it makes seventeen. To review, the number seventeen has significance and points to new beginnings and resurrection. Noah’s Ark came to rest on 17 Nisan, the same day and month of the resurrection of Jesus.

Seventy conveys the idea of perfection of complete order. As stated before, I like to say all of them as in a full set that matches the Hebraism.

In the text above, Daniel was reading a passage from the book of Jeremiah on the desolations of Israel being complete in seventy years. This was to repay the seventy years of sabbaths that the land of Israel never had. Daniel realized the release from captivity was soon and sought to pray about that particular text to understand its meaning. His prayer is recorded in the following verses of Daniel 9, along with the answer to it.

While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, indeed, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. He informed me and talked with me, and said, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved.

Daniel 9:20–23a

I don’t want to summarize this. I find the reading of it exciting and so compelling that it needs no other simplification or amplification. God’s messenger Gabriel gave Daniel the understanding he prayed to have.

Therefore understand the matter and consider the vision:
“Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Daniel 9:23b–24

I would point out that seventy weeks are given to the people. And seventy weeks are given to the city of Jerusalem. Hidden within the precision of the text is a hint at dual application. A dual application with a common consummation.

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Prince Messiah shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of trouble.

Daniel 9:25

It seems clear that the messenger is explaining the vision for the city. It will be rebuilt. There is also a precise calculation given, 69 weeks of years from the decree until the Anointed One comes. The order to rebuild the city, not just the temple, would be the impetus to start counting 483 years (69 weeks of years.) The command to rebuild Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus on 14 March 445 BC.

The math is precise. 483 years of 360 days corrected for leap years and there is no year zero takes us to 10 Nisan AD 32. That is the first Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem as King on the back of a donkey. (Seventh month, tenth day of the original calendar.)

Jesus was crucified on 14 Nisan, the day the Paschal lambs were slaughtered for observation of Passover. He was put in the grave that night. This tracks exactly what Gabriel said to Daniel.

After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the troops of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall come with a flood. And until the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:26

Messiah was cut off from His people. That’s a euphemism for the sudden death that is due for sins. The focus here turns to the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. The text also explains that both would be destroyed.

There is much controversy here. Much of that controversy comes about by not taking the time to examine the precision of the Scriptures and how they interrelate. They do, surprisingly and intricately. Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed quickly. That is the meaning behind flood, swiftness of the action. The destruction of the temple and Jerusalem did come about swiftly in AD 70.

The understanding Gabriel gave Daniel didn’t end there.

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

Daniel 9:27

Implicit in the text is the assumption that there is a temple for sacrifice and offering to take place after it has been destroyed. The seemingly new temple is in place, it would have to be some time after the destruction previously foretold. This new temple would necessarily have to be in Jerusalem. These ideas have to be inferred to make sense of the text. Moving further along, those things are coupled with the language of destruction to the desolator, it is a consummation of the seventy weeks. It follows that the desolation is destroyed after there is a new temple. It all points to a time then yet future Daniel, and yet future to the destruction of the Temple then existing. That will be when the transgression is finished and the end of sins comes.

That’s the account of the seventy weeks for the city of Jerusalem. Is there one for the people?

Seventy Years of Jeremiah

It shall come to pass when seventy years are finished that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, says the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

Jeremiah 25:12

This is the text Daniel had concerns about. He knew the 70 years of captivity were nearing an end. The phrase perpetual desolations stands out as also connecting this to what Gabriel said. This also then hints at a long view yet future. This means Gabriel gave a longer view of the 70 years for the people (of the captivity.)

I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them. And I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the works of their hands.

Jeremiah 25:13–14

There is that promise of God, I will bring upon Babylon all My words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in Jeremiah’s book. God spoke many words to Babylon. Some of them were written many centuries after Jeremiah lived.

Standing far off for the fear of her torment, they will say:
‘Alas, alas for that great city,
that mighty city, Babylon!
In one hour your judgment has come.’

Revelation 18:10

If, as one reads in Jeremiah, all of the things pronounced against Babylon must take place, it must include those written in Revelation. Since there are things in Jeremiah which have not yet come to pass, and there are other things pronounced against Babylon that have not seen fruition… It follows that some of what is written in Revelation has not yet been fulfilled completely. God is promising that all of it will happen, and because it has not… These things point to events yet future.

In the Jeremiah text above, God also declares He will repay all of the nations that went against Jerusalem according to their deeds and according to their works. The idea of all nations being judged is spread through the bandwidth of the Bible. This is the apocalyptic language that points to the end times.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its desolation has drawn near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter it. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Luke 21:20–22

As Luke records the words of Jesus, it is clear that His words connect to the ideas presented so far by both Daniel and Jeremiah. It is my clear conviction that the preponderance of the evidence indicates that these events are yet future.

But is there something else that may have been overlooked?

Going back to Jeremiah 25:12, God said it shall be when seventy years are finished that He will do these things. Well, all the things pronounced against Babylon have not yet happened. It means that those seventy years are not yet complete.

When examining the word translated into English as years, we encounter the Hebrew word sana. It is almost always translated as years, but the meaning of the Hebrew word has a much broader context. The meaning of sana encompasses the passing of seasons or cycles. A year encompasses a cycle of seasons, as does every fiftieth year encompasses the Jubilee cycle.

The Full Set of Jubilees

There is not an overt count of one set of 70 Jubilees in the Scriptures. It is hidden away in the text of Jeremiah as seen. Especially considering the difference between the precise English 70 years, to the less precise Hebrew 70 sana.

If this set of complete Jubilees exists, then there is some very specific math that can be applied. But that math requires an objective starting point.

Back a bit, I chose the year 1406 BC as the year Israel entered the Promised Land. There is much controversy over the dating of the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. Many of the secular scholars have purposefully excluded biblical data. We know the day and month from the Scriptures.

Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped at Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho.

Joshua 4:19

Israel entered the Promised Land on 10 Nisan, but what year?

The evidence points to 1406 BC. The selection of Passover Lambs in Egypt 40 years before brackets the wilderness wandering with the entrance into the Promised Land on 10 Nisan 1446 BC.

Why choose these dates?

I favor 1446 BC as the year of the Exodus based on the work of two individuals. The first is the book “Origins of the Hebrews: New Evidence of Israelites in Egypt from Joseph to Exodus” by Douglas Petrovich. The book presents compelling evidence for not only the Israeli sojourn in Egypt but also provides a detailed timeline. One that includes an exit year of 1446 under Pharaoh Amenhotep II. Mr. Petrovich maintains an academia.edu page where he has published other materials.

The second reason why I favor 1446 BC as the year of exodus is based on some of the work of Heather R. She maintains an academia.edu page, too. Her books are published there for free. Of particular interest is the book “The Jubilee and Ezekiel’s Temple” where she provides a comprehensive timeline of the Jubilee cycle complete with data and methods.

The count for the full set of Jubilees begins in the year 1406 BC. This is by the instructions given to Moses in Leviticus 25. With that start date, the complete set of Jubilees can be determined. With the last being the seventieth Jubilee. It will occur in AD 2025.

Big deal, right?

It could very well be. What else is there to learn?

Jesus and the Jubilee

There is an incident recorded in the book of Luke. Jesus is reading from the prophet Isaiah in a synagogue in Nazareth.

He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. When He had unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
because He has anointed Me
to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Luke 4:16–19

Jesus read from chapter 61 in the book of Isaiah. This is what Jesus said about this:

Then He rolled up the scroll, and He gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all those who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Luke 4:20–21

It’s brief. But what Jesus read has language that fits the idea of the Jubilee… Freedom from oppression and restoration. It would be awesome if this coincided with a Jubilee. It does not. And it’s not even close.

When examining what Jesus read, the last two lines are compelling, especially “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” The definitive article (the) is not in Greek but is assumed for translation clarity.

When the passage in Isaiah 61 is examined, something else is unveiled.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn,
to preserve those who mourn in Zion,
to give to them beauty
for ashes,
the oil of joy
for mourning,
the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord,
that He might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1–3

It is what Jesus didn’t read, and precisely where He stopped. It was halfway through the passage. This implies He’s not finished yet proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. The next step in the program is to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God. That is a specific period of time. I also note that the acceptable time is a year, exponentially greater than the day of vengeance.

What can be gleaned about that?

Isaiah uses the phrase day of vengeance multiple times. It is apocalyptic in nature. It speaks to a time period that is referred to as Jacob’s Trouble.

Jacob’s Trouble

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book. For surely the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah. The Lord says, I also will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

Jeremiah 30:1–3

There is a time of restoration for the Israeli people, all of them. Note that God includes Israel, the northern kingdom, and Judah, the southern kingdom. Colloquially, the northern kingdom is spoken of as the lost tribes. It is a nod to the fact that these tribes have never been regathered into the land. It is my contention that all of Israel is being gathered into the land and for a while, now. The purpose is for restoration, but there is also trouble for both Israel and Judah. There’s a reason why both are named twice, that is both have to have returned to Israel. And tribulation looms for both.

These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah. For thus says the Lord:
I have heard a sound of trembling,
of fear, and not of peace.
Ask now, and see,
can a male labor with child?
Why do I see every man
with his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor,
and all faces turned pale?
Alas! for that day is great,
so that no one is like it;
it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble,
but he shall be saved out of it.

Jeremiah 30:4–7

All of Jeremiah 30 is worth a read. God is pointing to a consummation of events in the latter days. Like Jesus said in Matthew 24:21, there is nor will be no other day like it. Ones in which, Jacob will be saved out of it. And as Daniel says, knowledge will be increased.

Look, the whirlwind of the Lord
goes forth with fury,
a continuing whirlwind;
it will fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return
until He has done it
and until He has performed the intentions of His heart.
In the latter days
you will understand it.

Jeremiah 30:23–24

These are the latter days. These are the days to understand it. There is the day of vengeance, that day. It is a period called the Tribulation. It is the time of consummation from Daniel 9 above when all things will be finished. It will be with the return of Jesus to vanquish His enemies. It is described graphically.

The Return of Jesus

“Who is this who comes from Edom
with dyed garments from Bozrah?
This one who is glorious in His apparel,
traveling in the greatness of His strength?”
“It is I who speak in righteousness,
mighty to save.”
“Why is Your apparel red,
and Your garments like him who treads in the wine vat?”
“I have trodden the winepress alone;
and from the peoples there was no one with Me.
For I will tread them in My anger,
and trample them in My fury,
and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments,
and I will stain all My raiment.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
and My year of redemption has come.
I looked and there was no one to help,
and I was astonished, and there was no one to uphold;
therefore, My own arm brought salvation to Me;
and My fury upheld Me.
I will tread down the peoples in My anger
and make them drunk in My fury,
and I will pour out their lifeblood on the earth.”

Isaiah 63:1–6

This is the end of the tribulation when Jesus comes. There is an order to things, Jesus stopped at the reading of the scroll of Isaiah. There is a long length of what is acceptable time for people to be saved. Which is followed by a day of vengeance. After which is to preserve those who mourn in Zion.

Who is this Who treads the wine press?

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19:11–16

It truly is the Day of Lord!

Isn’t this still the acceptable year?

Lurking behind the English translation there is that Hebrew word sana again. It is most often rendered as year but has a broader meaning of a cycle of seasons. Perhaps that cycle is the complete set of Jubilees.

Conclusion

If all of this is true, then 2025 is significant in meaning. It is a Jubilee year. As demonstrated, it is probably the closing of the acceptable time. What does that mean?

Jubilee is about freedom from bondage. It connects with the giving of the Holy Spirit by the number fifty. It is the restoration of inheritance. It is resurrection. All of which happen in the acceptable time before the day of vengeance.

God does not restore people to take vengeance on them. So, it makes sense that those being restored will necessarily need removal from that vengeance. What is that?

Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible will put on incorruption, and this mortal will put on immortality. When this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then the saying that is written shall come to pass: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your sting?
O grave, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:50–58

Maranatha!

Mind the Gaps in Daniel’s 70 Weeks

“Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Daniel 9:24

It goes without saying, that when having discussions about eschatology someone is going to mention the prophet Daniel. It would most likely be this particular portion of the writings of the prophet that will be used. So it is our springboard into a very interesting concept one might not consider.

Daniel establishes the high-level panorama of the time given to Israel for the specified purposes of finishing the transgression, making an end to sins, making atonement for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness. Seventy weeks is the amount of time for that. The idiom means these are weeks of years.

Those seventy weeks times seven years should make one remember what Jesus said about forgiving others (Matthew 18:21–22.) I do try to pay attention to the numbers and the ideas behind them. Most folks know that the number seven is biblically significant representing perfection. The number 70 also has significance. While it can be literal in use, it can also convey the idea of all of them. And as I have said before the forgiveness we must give is all of them perfectly. In the same way, Israel will make all the purposes God has assigned come to pass perfectly. Remember the promises given to Abraham:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country, your family, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1–3

Israel is to be a blessing to the world. The promise God made to Abram here also has prophetic implications. Though, those are probably things most do not consider. But the principle is, that the things done to Israel will be reflected back onto the doing them. Meaning, that if one expects a blessing from Israel, one ought to bless Israel. When you read the media reports and hear the talking heads, what are they saying about Israel?

I see some pretty nasty things being said by a lot of people. It probably is not going to go well for those given God’s promise. Those are things I would not want to experience.

Yet, I digress. Let’s get back to Daniel. The excursion in this piece is to mind the gaps.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Prince Messiah shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of trouble. After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the troops of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall come with a flood. And until the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:25–26

The panorama Daniel gives is not comprehensive of Israel’s existence. It is a portion of it that begins at a specific place. Here it begins on the day of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. That is particularly important to understand that it is not just the rebuilding of the temple. The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem on 14 March 455 BC by Artaxerxes Longimanus. There is a precision given here to help alleviate confusion. Note the emphasis on the plaza and moat. It is difficult to confuse this mandate with earlier ones confined to rebuilding the Temple. The mandate is recorded in Nehemiah 2:1–10.

So the king said to me, “What are you requesting about this matter?” Immediately, I prayed to the God of heaven and then said to the king, “If this pleases the king and if this might be good for your servant who is before you, then would you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs so that I may rebuild it?”

Nehemiah 2:4–5

I further said to the king, “If this pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors of the province Beyond the River so that they would allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, as well as a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple mount, for the city wall, and for the house into which I will enter.” The king granted me these things, because the good hand of my God was upon me.

Nehemiah 2:7–8

That decree is to rebuild the city… Jerusalem. This clearly matches the criteria Daniel gives.

Now, Daniel expects us to do the math. He says there will be 69 weeks, and after the completion of those weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. Daniel does not say 69 weeks, but “the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Prince Messiah shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks(.)” One might be inclined to just read the text, but we have a hint of the first gap. It’s not substantial, but merely a separation clearly established. It is generally considered that 49 years were given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Nehemiah and his people endured times of trouble as they rebuilt the city, completing their project in 396 B.C. (That account is in Ezra 9–10.)

King Messiah

If the first period was to rebuild Jerusalem, it is not too difficult to infer that the 62 weeks of years is to await the Prince Messiah. About that Prince, the Hebrew is Meshiach Nagid. Nagid is first used in the Bible in 1 Kings 14:7. It is used to describe Jeroboam’s relationship to the people of Israel. He was their king. And we know from our Bibles the exact day Messiah was presented as King.

When He was coming near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with loud voices for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Luke 19:37–38

Now that I have introduced math, let’s do some. Jesus entered Jerusalem that day. The date is Nisan 10. How do we know?

In John 12:1, John tells us Jesus entered Bethany six days before Passover. It was a supper with Martha and Lazarus among others. We know that Passover is on 15 Nisan.

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: On the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a household. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to what each man shall eat, divide the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats. You shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the upper doorpost of the houses in which they shall eat it. They shall eat the flesh on that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire, its head with its legs and its entrails. And you shall let nothing of it remain until the morning, but that of it which remains until the morning you shall burn with fire. In this way shall you eat it: with your waist girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.

Exodus 12:3–11

The lamb was taken into the household on 10 Nisan. It was slaughtered before twilight on 14 Nisan. The blood was sprinkled on the lintel and doorpost protecting the firstborn inside from certain death. The protection was for overnight, meaning when the Angel of the Lord would pass through the nation. Nisan is the first month of Israel’s ecclesiastical (religious) year.

10 Nisan

Back to the text in John, we know Jesus entered Bethany on 9 Nisan. According to John 12:12, it was the next day (10 Nisan) that Jesus entered Jerusalem.

This is a dual witness, one is from mathematics. The second comes from Jesus fulfilling the type of the Passover Lamb being brought into the household for inspection. This occurred on 10 Nisan according to the first Passover as established.

There is still some more math to do.

Calendars in the Ancient Near East used a 360-day year. This means that 69 weeks of 360-day years provides 10 Nisan as the date that Artaxerxes Longimanus made the decree. The start of the 7 weeks of years to rebuild Jerusalem was on 10 Nisan. The beginning of the 62-week wait began on 10 Nisan. With these two witnesses, it seems that Israel’s final week will also start on 10 Nisan.

The Bible is amazing. That 173,880-day interval between the mandate given to rebuild Jerusalem Palm Sunday is exceedingly precise. Jesus was presented as King the very day Daniel gave. (For more on that, read this: The Unexpected King.) This is exactly why Jesus held Jerusalem accountable for her day of visitation.

When He came near, He beheld the city and wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had known even today what things would bring you peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you and surround you, and press you in on every side. They will dash you, and your children within you, to the ground. They will not leave one stone upon another within you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41–44

Given the precision of the math, the expectation of the King was preannounced on the precise day! The event was preannounced with other amazing precision.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! And cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you; he is righteous and able to deliver, he is humble and riding on a donkey, a colt, the offspring of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

Israel missed it and are now blinded to the truth. The future for Jerusalem is bleak. Jesus would not return to them as King until a point yet future.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not! Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you shall not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Matthew 23:37–39

Something that comes to mind and bears a mention is Nisan is the new year for kings. Jewish commentaries in the Mishnah tell us that the year of the reign of Jewish kings began in Nisan. This is attested to in the Bible, but takes some digging. 2 Chronicles 3:2 gives us the very start day when Solomon began building the temple. It is a relative reckoning based on the beginning of his reign; fourth year, second month, second day. We must now move to 1 Kings 6:1 which tells us it is the month of Zif (Iyyar.) That month follows Nisan. The traditional Jewish understanding is that kings were crowned on Passover. Could that be attested to in the Bible?

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.
Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the Man!”

John 19:1–5

Jesus was crowned King and presented to Israel. It was intended to be mockery, but in my opinion, the stage was set for the return of the conquering King. Israel expected King Messiah. He was crowned and His next advent to Earth would be as King. It all happened on Passover, 14 Nisan of that year.

Messiah Shall be Cut Off

Daniel told us that after sixty-two weeks Messiah would be cut off. We know that happened on Passover immediately following that first Palm Sunday. This provides us with our next gap. The gap is the time between the Triumphal Entry and the crucifixion.

The Gospels record some of the happenings in that short week including the Olivet Discourse. That was a private briefing Jesus gave to some of His disciples. It is recorded in Matthew 24 and 25. This makes it a relevant part of this discussion because no matter how the discourse is understood, there is a perceived gap between when it was spoken by Jesus and when it would actually occur. Keep that in mind.

It’s the conjunctions that are often overlooked. For some of us Gen-Xers, we know the function of Conjunction Junction. It is to connect two ideas that may or may not be related. We come to that place now in the text where two different ideas are joined together.

And, And, And…

And shall have nothing. Three things have happened. Messiah is crowned King and presented to Israel. They rejected Him. (This is for our… That is Gentiles’ benefit, but that’s another post.) Messiah was then summarily cut off. He was crucified in the prime of life. For all intents and purposes in the physical world, He didn’t have a people to reign because they rejected Him. He had nothing.

And the troops of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The insertion of the conjunction and informs us of another perceived gap in the text. Considering the differing views on eschatology, it is undeniable that it was almost 40 years after the death of Jesus that the city and sanctuary were destroyed. Luke speaks of it as He writes of what was said on the Mount of Olives that night.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its desolation has drawn near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter it. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and will be led away captive to all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:20–24

Even though Luke uses similar language to Matthew’s version, this is a different event. Matthew has one looking for the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15.) Luke speaks of armies surrounding Jerusalem. Though, Jesus introduced both versions with the destruction of the temple, neither of these accounts assumes that. They are a warning of impending wrath and judgment.

Prophecy is better understood as patterning. This means multiple events may fit the pattern (more on that will come.) Luke’s account points to what we know was a near-fulfillment of the siege of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple. That occurred in the first century and would have been within the 40-year generation of those who witnessed the ministry of Jesus. It also is a pattern that will be witnessed again.

After the fall Jerusalem began the days of vengeance. This is an important concept to understand. The prophets speak of God avenging Himself on Israel (as well as other unbelievers.) This text renders it plainly God is going to judge the Earth.

The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is insane, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.

Hosea 9:7

Israel knows! As I write this, it is several days before the ninth of Av (Tisha B’Av.) That is it has become a solemn day of remembrance of the many calamities that came to Israel. It is the day the spies returned from the Promised Land with a bad report instilling fear in the Israelites that led them to a generation (40 years) of wandering. It is also the day Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple were destroyed. Many bad things happened to the nation on that day. (Read more here: Tisha B’Av.)

The end of it shall come with a flood. This speaks to the sudden catastrophe that would befall those in Jerusalem at the time. Just as the flood was sudden and unexpected by those who perished in it, this destruction in like manner would be unexpected.

“Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Matthew 24:36

This is another often misunderstood and misapplied verse. It deserves mention here as it connects the suddenness with the word flood.

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating, drinking, marrying, and were given in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:26–27

The destruction comes quickly and is unsuspected. Just as Jerusalem was sieged and the temple was burned, Jesus coming in judgment will likewise be unexpected and sudden. That is why the sudden taking of people is mentioned commensurate with this. This speaks to the sudden and unexpected destruction that would come.

And Until the End… War. What war? The translation I used says: “And until the end of the war desolations are determined.” It is translated in different ways. In one translation, the Lexham English Bible, says, “and on to the end there shall be war(.)” I have included the italics contained in the translation to show the assumed words that make a clear translation. I will explain and hopefully answer the question as to what war is.

Desolations are Determined

Until the end, desolations are determined. It is specifically this phrase that helps one to understand that multiple desolations will happen to Jerusalem until the end. It is precisely that phrase that helps to clarify that the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 may or may not necessarily coincide with the surroundings of Jerusalem in Luke 21. What I mean is that the siege of Jerusalem that resulted in the temple being destroyed could be a partial fulfillment, and still points to a future siege of Jerusalem. Remember, until the end war and desolations are determined.

The war on Jerusalem (and Israelis) did not end with its destruction in AD 70. History is replete with the persecution of the Jewish people in the diaspora. Those people had no homeland until fairly recently. Yet they retained their ethnicity and national identity. Even though their desolations are many.

Indignation

He has violently taken away His tabernacle as if it were a garden; He has destroyed His place of assembly; the LORD has caused the solemn feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion. In his fierce indignation He has despised the king and the priest.

Lamentations 2:6

I would challenge all to read the whole chapter of Lamentations 2. Perhaps even more before and after. In this portion, God despised the king of Jerusalem by destroying the seat of government of the nation. He also despised the priest by laying in pieces the temple. Jesus spoke of this happening in the Olivet Discourse. It is clear to see the patterning in the prophets, and that has a name… fierce indignation.

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him a command, to seize the plunder, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Isaiah 10:5–6

The idea of indignation is connected with the Jewish people having no homeland. Just as Jeremiah used in Lamentations, it is a term directed at Israel when the nation is judged. This term is mentioned multiple times and is connected with the dispersion of the people of Israel. I think it applies aptly to the last almost 2,000 years and has not yet seen an end.

It is the question someone asked me of how could there be almost 2,000 years for all of it to be connected. God has already answered that.

The Long War

Gabriel provided Daniel with an interpretation of the vision he had concerning the ram with two horns. As I have stated, prophecy is patterning. The patterning in that vision seems initially pointed partially to a figure in history named Antiochus IV. Later chapters of what Daniel wrote reads almost like history, but I think there is more to it. Let’s look.

He said, “Listen, I will make you know what shall be in the final period of the indignation, for the end shall be at the appointed time. The ram which you saw having two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The rough goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now the broken horn and the four horns that stood up in its place are four kingdoms that shall stand up out of his nation, but not with his power. “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king will arise, having a fierce countenance, skilled in intrigue. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. And he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practice his will and shall destroy the mighty men and the holy people. By his cunning, he shall cause deceit to succeed under his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in a time of peace. He shall also rise up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken, not by human hands.

Daniel 8:19–25

Note that Gabriel draws Daniel’s attention to a certain character in the latter time of that kingdom. Also, note his great might that is not from his own power. But it is that last line that this king shall rise up against the Prince of princes. That’s Jesus. When did Antiochus IV rise up against Jesus?

I suppose it could be one of those allegory things. I don’t think so. In my wacky way of seeing things, I don’t consider the Greek empire gone. It eventually broke up into Hellenistic kingdoms. I think even in our modern times, we live with the vestiges of power from this empire. The western education system is Greek. We teach children Greek letters. We teach them Greek mythology. While the Western education system is Grecian in nature, the government system is decidedly Roman. It was Rome that eventually unified these kingdoms politically.

Since the great Roman Empire, Jewish folk have suffered persecution in Europe. This practice was embraced and continued by the spread of Latin Christianity under the vestiges of the Roman Catholic church. This persecution gave way to forced conversions, property confiscation, expulsion, and outlawing of Jewish people. It’s shameful, really. One of those things not taught in American history classes is the fact that the journey of Christopher Columbus was funded by money seized from the Jewish people as they were expelled from Spain. Of course, recent history seems to cap the plight of the experience of the Jewish people in Europe. Millions were not just expelled, but systematically murdered during the expansion of the German (supposed thousand-year) Third Reich.

Think of the magnitude of these troubles with what Jesus said.

For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.

Matthew 24:21

It is this that makes me think that the indignation against the people of God is long-term. These people have suffered the anger of God and other people for millennia since before the birth of Jesus. Even amongst all of this God sent His Son to them. They rebelled yet again, and God had removed Himself from the influencing of His people. It makes them an easy target for Satan. It is as if there is a lot of war against them. One could say it is a long war against them. It is the book of Daniel that conveys a loose outline of history beforehand. It is also written to those witnessing the final period of indignation.

But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Until the Indignation is Accomplished

“The king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished. For that which is determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above them all. But instead he shall honor the god of forces, a god whom his fathers did not know. He shall honor him with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus he shall do in the strongest of fortresses with a foreign god. He shall give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and shall cause them to rule over the many and shall divide the land for gain.

Daniel 11:36–39

Like the text previously cited in Daniel 8, Antiochus IV also seems to typify what is written here. That previous text presented a divergence to include another yet future figure that will fit the pattern. Likewise, this text does, too. It says this one shall prosper until the indignation is finished. It is this that I think is important. And I want to understand it. I think the indignation has stretched over a far greater length of time than we can imagine.

It is this prophetic and apocalyptic literature that speaks of the indignation God has. It was prophesied long before the Assyrians were used as a tool by God. When the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in 721 BC, they dispersed the people to other nations. Subsequently, the southern kingdom of Judah fell in 701 BC. The children of Abraham were dispersed into many nations. Yet God promised to gather them back.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far off, and say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.”

Jeremiah 31:10

That is just one of the many places where God has promised to regather Israel back into their land. Some scholars seem to think there will be two gatherings. I don’t hold to that. Yes, there was a partial gathering of Judah from which became the modern namesake to describe the people of the nation. Yet there are 10 ‘lost tribes‘ that have not been regathered and indicate the days of vengeance are not quite done.

I think that we live in the time of the gathering. There is a yet future gathering of God’s people from wherever they were scattered. It casts shadows that are easily witnessed today.

If You Will Not Listen to Me

But if you will not listen to Me, and will not do all these commandments, if you despise My statutes, or if you abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, but you break My covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with terror, with wasting disease, and with a fever that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart, and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
If you will not yet listen to Me after all this, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron and your land as bronze. Your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield her increase, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
If you continue to walk contrary to Me and will not listen to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number. And your roads shall be desolate.
And if by these things you are not turned to Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I will also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. I will bring a sword upon you that shall extract vengeance for My covenant. And when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I have broken the supply of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall ration your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
If you will not listen to Me for all this, but walk contrary to Me, then I will walk contrary to you also in fury, and I Myself will chastise you seven times for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your funeral offerings on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I shall abhor you. I will make your cities a waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your fragrant offerings. I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies that dwell there shall be astonished at it. I will scatter you among the nations and I will draw out a sword after you. And your land shall be desolate and your cities a waste. Then the land shall enjoy its sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall rest because it did not rest during your sabbaths when you lived upon it.

Leviticus 26:14–35

Now, as has been established, prophecy is patterning. While the land did rest after the invasions of old, I think this has application today. Especially when one pays particular attention to the talk of scattering and desolation. Mark Twain testified to the desolation in his book Innocents Abroad. As a skeptic, Twain wrote of the Sea of Galilee like it was, “a solemn, sailless, tintless lake, as unpoetical as any bath-tub on earth.” While passing through the Jezreel Valley, he said, “There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent – not for 30 miles in either direction. There are two or three small clusters of Bedouin tents, but not a single permanent habitation. One may ride 10 miles, hereabouts, and not see 10 human beings.”

Long before Twain’s visit, there was another observation by a write. Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, known as Nachmanides, fled Spain for Palestine. After a long journey, he arrived at the Port of Acre in AD 1267. He was traveling to Jerusalem. He couldn’t even find many other Jewish folk to pray with. He wrote, “Many are Israel’s forsaken places, and great is the desecration. The more sacred the place, the greater the devastation it has suffered. Jerusalem is the most desolate place of all.”

Seeing the long-term desolation of the land of Israel is real, the 70-weeks prophecy referenced above by Daniel becomes relevant. Not in that it is done, but that there really is a long gap of time from the culmination of the 69th week to the beginning of the 70th week. Much of the Tanakh references the rebellion of Israel and Judah. It doesn’t look as if they were real in their relationship with God. In fact, in the book of Hosea, that relationship was pretty much one-sided.

Then the LORD said to me, “Go, again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just as the LORD loves the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
So I purchased her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and for a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley. Then I said to her, “You will remain with me many days. You will not play the whore, and you will not belong to another man. And also I will be with you.”
For the children of Israel will remain many days without a king and without a prince, without a sacrifice and without a standing stone, and without an ephod and teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come in fear to the LORD and to His goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 3:1–5

Go, Again. Hosea went back, just as a foretype to Jesus Who will come back to Israel as the conquering King. They will seek God in the latter days.

Math… Again

God says He is going to repay the rebellion seven times, it requires us to do some math. Taking Daniel’s 70 weeks of years computes to 490 years. Multiplying that by 7 yields 3,430 years. That is a huge number of years.

Israel entered the Promised Land around 1406 BC. Taking those 3,430 years and subtracting those years leaves 2,024. Accounting for year “0” gives 2,023 years after the birth of Christ. (Yes, I know it is politically correct to use BCE and CE instead of BC and AD, they both reference the same standard.)

While the exact date means little, it is the calculation that points to the modern day. What is even more astonishing, is taking into account the seven years required to subdue the land from the Canaanites comes to the year 2030. What comes to my mind is the UN’s Agenda 2030. It seems that somebody else had some inside knowledge.

Now I know that for part of those years, Israel lived in the Land in relative peace. Yet from the time of Moses on, her rebellion is recorded. And the nation suffered repeatedly for the rebelliousness. The culmination came after the cutting off of the Messiah.

It is not that if the math is exactly correct. It shows the real validity of a period of judgment that can last over millennia. It would not be surprising that there could be 2,000 years since the death of Jesus Christ until He sets it all right. But could it be that precise? Could it be that the end of the indignation nears?

Convergence

I must speak to the Last Jubilee. Heather Rivard has put together a small book that is available online. It is called The Jubilee and Ezekiel’s Temple. In this work, she lays out the case for 70 jubilee years for Israel. (I will leave you that homework to read it.) In her calculations, she makes the case for the Last Jubilee to occur in one of three years 2023, 2024, or 2025. It will mean the restoration of the land and the people. It will probably come with the restitution of the Mosaic Law. Ezekiel’s Temple will be built at the beginning of this Jubilee. It will be the start of Daniel’s final week. If indeed there are 70 jubilee years given to Israel, the final one is upon us.

As stated previously, the weeks of years begin on 10 Nisan. Ms. Rivard provides three data sets in her conclusion. The first points to the year 2023 as the Last Jubilee. Another points to the year 2024. The final data set gives the year 2025. It is this final dataset that intrigues me.

If the Last Jubilee begins 10 Nisan 2025, then with it begins the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy. As I have previously cited the work by Chuck Missler in The Unexpected King, I want to call attention to the precise date given for the first Palm Sunday. That is 6 April AD 32. That day would be 10 Nisan in AD 32 (by modern reckoning of years.)

I know Ms. Rivard set a date.

An examination of the history of antisemitism shows something remarkable. In the Eleventh century, antisemitism surged. From then on, the specific recorded accounts grow exponentially. It continues to grow until the recorded occurrences explode in number. It is like the last 1,000 years is real warfare that is ramping up in frequency and atrocity. If there ever was a need for a peacemaker, it is becoming plainly evident.

The Prince Who Shall Come

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

Daniel 9:27

There’s the conjunction and indicative of yet another gap. This prince who shall come will appear to be a peacemaker. The text indicates he will make a firm covenant with many. The translation here may be a bit misunderstood. It is not that this prince will make an agreement. The prince that comes will be the one who usurps Jesus and stands in His place. Israel will mistakenly see him as the Messiah. Jesus spoke to this truth.

I have come in My Father’s name, but you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

John 5:43

As to the covenant, the King James translation conveys exactly what is going to happen. He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. In other words, this prince will establish the covenant Mosaic Law to be practiced in Israel in the coming temple for seven years. The word many in the text is another rhetorical device used in the Bible. It is a synecdoche used to refer to the people of Israel.

In the middle of the week is preceded by another conjunction… But. Connecting these two ideas exposes another gap of time between the establishment of the covenant and three-and-a-half years later. The prince causes the sacrifices and offerings to cease. This is indicative that the covenant made was for Temple sacrifices and the rudiments of the Mosaic Law to be restored.

On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate. To understand this phrase we must go back to where Daniel first used the word desolation.

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said to that certain saint which spoke, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?”

Daniel 8:13

He used it in a question about a previous event explained to him from the vision he had.

Indeed, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and from Him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.

Daniel 8:11

The prince in Daniel’s vision “shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods(.)” He will establsih himself as to the one to be worshipped and erected an altar to that purpose. In history, Antiochus IV erected an altar to Zeus over the existing altar. Hence the rhetorical device used in Daniel 9:27 of spreading of wings. The Grecians’ mythology is a twisted version of true history. Zeus is Satan. The Titans are other fallen angels.

The conjunction and coupled with the preposition until denotes another gap of time that leads to the appointed culmination.

Until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator. There comes an end for this enemy of God and His people. It is when Jesus comes back to Earth as King.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.

Revelation 19:19–21

Concluding Thoughts

I know this was long. I know I didn’t fill all the gaps, so to say. The goal was to find precedence to justify the anger of God toward Israel to last over a long period of time. I do think the evidence is profound and clear.

Like the patterning in all prophecy, the generation that saw the death of Jesus and the destruction of the Jerusalem spanned that 40-year timeframe. It is clear that not all of the events Jesus spoke of in the Olivet Discourse have come to pass. Therefore, there is a future time when all these things take place. Likewise, the generation that witnesses the budding of the fig tree will see the events of the end.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch becomes tender and grows leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you shall see all these things, you know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

Matthew 24:32–35

I do not have a problem with anyone being able to know the times and seasons.

The Future for Jerusalem

Isaiah 29:1–4 (ISV): “How terrible it will be for you, Aruel, Aruel, the city where David encamped! Year after year, let your festivals run their cycle. Then I’ll besiege Aruel, and there will be sorrow and mourning; she will become to me like an altar fireplace. Then I’ll encamp against you like David, and I’ll lay siege to you with towers, raise siege works against you, and you will be brought down. You will speak from the ground, and your speech will mumble from the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the ground, and your speech will whisper from the dust.

(I used the ISV here to introduce the text because of the clarity of the ideas as expressed.)

Prophecies are fascinating. Often times we tend look at them incorrectly. That is we see a single fulfillment of them like it’s once and done. I am one that looks at them as patterns.

Isaiah was written to Judah and Jerusalem to warn of invasion. Assyrians were being prepared as the rod of God’s anger. In this portion of text, God is warning of the imminent calamity to come to Jerusalem. I think it has patterns that also reach to contemporary times and beyond.

Jerusalem was to be made like an altar fireplace. That’s where the fire is in the place they burned the sacrifices. If you think that’s kind of dark, it is. Jerusalem was going to fall to the invading Assyrians.

But… What if this particular prophecy seems to have a fulfillment much later as than the times of Isaiah.

When the Romans began to squeeze on revolting Jerusalem in 70AD, the temple was burned to the ground. It became like the place of fire in the altar. Weeks after the temple was burned, the upper city was then besieged and overrun. At that time, Jerusalem fell and Israel ceased to exist.

Furthermore, for almost 2,000 years, Israel was a distant memory of ancient days. It was ghostlike in that way. It was hard to reconcile a future destiny for Israel when it was gone and its inhabitants scattered like dust. Dust brings to mind diaspora. Like dust, Jewish folk spread everywhere. With them came their traditions. But when the temple was destroyed, Judaism changed. Eventually there was nothing passed on that honors God as the law taught. Judaism embraced the Talmud, and became a rabbinic tradition, eviscerating the ordinances of the law with no sacrifices.

Think about that. For almost 2,000 years Judaism lacked the power of God in its teachings. The word used for speech in the passage above can mean the word of God. What they taught was ghostlike without the power of God.

Yet, something else flourished after the destruction of Israel.

Isaiah 29:5a (ISV): “But the hordes of your enemies will become like fine dust, and the hordes of tyrants like flying chaff.

Even though Israel was a vestige from the past, her enemies continued to multiply and spread. Fine dust gets everywhere… Even in places where the particles of regular dust don’t go. That flying chaff comes from being lifted into the air by a winnowing fork. It darkens the sun for just a moment in time and then caught by the wind, it is spread far and wide.

Long before the Balfour declaration that created the modern state of Israel… Her enemies still existed. They were widespread. That opposition even invaded the church in the guise of what is known as replacement theology. Opposition to Israel spread like fine dust, into the most unlikely of places.

But then there’s something that is inferred in the text. A new setting is quickly introduced.

Isaiah 29:5b–6 (ISV): Then suddenly, in an instant, you will be visited by the Lord of the Heavenly Armies—with thunder, an earthquake, and great noise, with a windstorm, a tempest, and flames from a devouring fire.

Like lightning flashes, Jesus comes into Jerusalem. He doesn’t seem to be alone as the referenced title indicates. He is the Lord of the Heavenly Armies (Lord of Hosts.) The last thing we read of Jerusalem is its fall. But this speaks to when Jesus comes to their rescue. Unwritten things that can be inferred are Israel once again becomes a nation and Jerusalem is part of Israel.

I would offer speculation of something more, the temple would most likely exist. As like the first invasion and fall, repeated with the Romans, the temple was there. Once again, Jerusalem would be a place that draws the attention of enemies.

And that brings a fourth inference from the third… That because Jesus returns as Victor, He fights against her enemies. So she must be besieged yet again at some future time. A time when Jesus returns. In fact, He spoke of these things.

Let’s look at it from a different perspective.

Zechariah 12:2–5 (MEV): I am going to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling before all the surrounding nations. And when there is a siege against Judah, it is also against Jerusalem. And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it. On that day I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness, but for the house of Judah I will keep My eyes open although I will strike with blindness every horse of the peoples. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, “There is strength for us with those residing in Jerusalem by the Lord of Hosts, their God.”

Jerusalem is going to be the focal point of the world one day.

Zechariah 12:6–9 (MEV): On that day I will set Judah like a fiery pot among wood and as a flaming torch among cut grain. And they will devour to the right and left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem will still reside in her place, the place of Jerusalem.
The Lord will deliver the tents of Judah as before, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of those dwelling in Jerusalem will not eclipse Judah. On that day the Lord will defend those residing in Jerusalem; and even the one who stumbles among them will be as David on that day. And the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going out before them. On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations who come out against Jerusalem.

There is only one side that is victorious…

Zechariah 12:10 (MEV): And I will pour out on the house of David and over those dwelling in Jerusalem a spirit of favor and supplication so that they look to Me, whom they have pierced through. And they will mourn over him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him as a firstborn.

This is the time that is yet future, when the enemies are vanquished. They alas asunder by the Lord of Hosts.

Matthew 24:29–30 (MEV): “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory

The Son of Man and the host of heaven…

Revelation 19:11–15 (MEV): I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty.

Jesus comes to rescue Jerusalem. It’s not difficult to find Bible references of what happened to those enemies. They will be whisked away to certain death.

Matthew 24:28 (MEV): Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Much insight is provided in Luke 17:22-37. It’s needed to decode that phrase. This is when the enemies of Jesus are whisked away to their fate.

But back to Isaiah. He had a fanciful way of describing that.

Isaiah 29:7–8 (ISV): Then the hordes of all the nations that fight against Aruel, all that attack her and her fortification and besiege her, will become like a dream, with its visions in the night—as when a hungry man dreams—he eats, but wakes up still hungry; or when a thirsty man dreams—he drinks, but wakes up faint, with his thirst unquenched. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.

The real enemies of Jerusalem become like things in a dream when a person awakes. They’re gone instantly.

It’s the plan of those who would destroy Israel to establish their kingdom and rule over her. That’s the dream they all want to be, annihilate Israel and place her in subservience to their whims. Jesus steps in. All those who would attack her are gone. It’s like their existence was just a dream. What they had planned was so real to them, it satisfied completely. But in reality, it and they came to nothing.

But as it is, the prophecy is given in layers.

Isaiah 29:9–10 (MEV): Be delayed and wait, blind yourselves and be blind. They are drunk, but not with wine. They stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, the seers.

This is speaking to the period after the fall of Jerusalem. Isaiah is chiding the Israelis for blinding themselves. They rejected the Anointed One, which brought a hardening. Because of that rejection, God removed His influences on them. The prophets and seers would no longer understand the things of the Lord.

Isaiah 29:11–12 (MEV): The whole vision will be to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which when they deliver it to one who is learned, saying, “Read this, please,” he shall say, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” Then the book shall be delivered to him who is not learned, saying, “Read this, please.” And he shall say, “I cannot read.”

This is the reality we see today. Israel has the Torah and the prophets. They read, but don’t understand. Is it any wonder that Isaiah chapter 53 is not ever read in synagogues that they might understand?

It is a self-imposed blindness. And God gives them that desire that they not see. At least until the proper time.

Remember about those inferences above?

I think those are validated in the text. It will become clearer as we move forward.

Isaiah 29:13–14 (MEV): Therefore, the Lord said: Because this people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips,
but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is tradition by the precept of men, therefore I will once again do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

Even though the people give Him lip service their hearts are far removed from Him. Things will change. God will once again move among this people. The traditions that didn’t honor God will then be forgotten. Just as above in Zechariah 12, the Israelis will again see.

Isaiah 29:15 (MEV): Woe to those who deeply
hide their counsel from the Lord and whose works are done in the dark, and they say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?”

What’s done behind closed doors will be made plain to all. The enemies of God cannot hide. There is no way to do that. He sees it all.

Isaiah 29:16 (MEV): Surely you turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the potter’s clay?
Shall what is made say to its maker, “He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

It is futile to mock God. There is no way to do it and win. Those that hate God and refuse to acknowledge Him without fear, will have the tables turned on them.

When that happens, the land that is the inheritance of God will flourish. As will its people.

Isaiah 29:17–21 (MEV): 17 Is it not yet a very little while before Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be counted as a forest? And on that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless shall come to nothing,
and the scorner will be consumed, and all who are intent on doing iniquity shall be cut off—those who cause a man to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and turn aside the righteous with meaningless arguments.

This is the Day of the Lord. Most of you would think it’s all about destroying the enemies of God. It is. But that’s a part of it. The better part of that day is the rightful reign and rule of the Anointed One. It comes with the restoration of Jacob. The Earth is now resting with humanity. As the enemies of God and creation are sequestered away.

Isaiah 29:22–24 (MEV): Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they shall sanctify My name and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel. Those also who err in spirit shall know the truth,
and those who murmured shall accept instruction.

Israel will no longer stray. They will no longer be blind and unknowing of the things of God. They will listen and receive instruction.

Stars: The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

“I will see him, but not now; I will behold him, but not near; a star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel, and will crush the borderlands of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Edom will be a possession, and Seir, a possession of its enemies, while Israel does valiantly. One out of Jacob shall have dominion, and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Numbers 24:17–19

It is clear that from the inception of the nation Israel, the promised Star would come. The Sceptre would conquer the world. This is speaking of a particular Man… We know Him as Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High. He is the promised Messiah.

I can foresee the question… What does He have to do with a popular song from the 20th century?

The Hand of God is on Human History

I’m not making a case for determinism or fatalism here. By saying the hand of God is on history, I point to those times when God undeniably inserts Himself into the affairs of men.

There are certain portions of Scripture that have been threaded throughout this series. We open with a prophecy from numbers that was cited in the first post. Likewise, a passage from Isaiah 40 was also included. It seems fitting to revisit the prophet.

O Zion, bearer of good news, get yourself up onto a high mountain; O Jerusalem, bearer of good news, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; see, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:9–11

This is yet another prophetic announcement of the coming Messiah. In this particular passage it is difficult to envision two advents of the same person. Yet I think there is. The first announcement is to Judah, “Here is your God.” That was accomplished at Jesus’ first advent. He proclaimed Himself as God. The next instance… He comes with strength and shall rule. That has yet to happen.

History shows us that there is a partial working of the pattern. Even up to the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Israel on that first Palm Sunday. He was welcomed as King. But then, Like Daniel 9:26 says… He was cut off. He didn’t rule. The phrase that follows means His death was not for Himself.

His Reward, His Recompense

This is a repeated theme in Isaiah.

The Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “See, your salvation comes; see, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”

Isaiah 62:11

It’s fitting that we are talking about Jesus. Really look at what is said. There are three persons identified. The first is the Jehovah. Next is the daughter of Zion who is the personified name for the people of God. The Third is named, too. He is identified by the pronouns His and Him. It’s Jesus.

Knowing a bit about Hebrew is helpful. In this instance, the English word salvation is translated from a Hebrew word that is closely related to Yeshua. It’s a handy thing to remember when encountering the word salvation in the Tanakh, think Jesus.

For brevity, I left out the next verse. It speaks of Jerusalem being a place sought out. We have been a witness of that very thing in our lifetime. Check it out for yourself.

What this is saying this is that God is going to intervene in history in an undeniable way. God will save Israel… Bringing His reward with Him. One might ask, what is His reward?

Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9–11

There is hardly any other way to think of it. Jesus’ reward comes from His humble service to God. He is exalted above all. He is the King of Glory as David sang:

Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter. Who is He—this King of glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah

Psalm 24:7–10

As I write this, I cannot help but sing this particular thing. Our former music pastor wrote some beautiful music. One of the things I will even be grateful for from Clay Hecocks… He had us memorize Scriptures by singing them in worship. Have a listen. Worship sharpens our focus to Jesus.

Back to the subject… Jesus is the King of Glory. He is the Lord of Hosts. That is a military title. These titles are part of His reward. When He comes with His reward, it will be with the completion of what Isaiah wrote in chapter 40.

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty.

Revelation 19:11–15

Jesus comes with His reward. It’s those saved now. We believers are part of the armies of heaven. The saints in the body of Christ will ride in on flying horses dressed in His righteousness. His reward is those who are His now.

Jesus says this about that event:

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me to give to each one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Revelation 22:12–13

Look back at Isaiah, He comes with His reward. But the recompense is before Him. Recompense is the awarded compensation for something. In other words, recompense can be considered synonymous with wages, something earned.

In the most obvious sense… Israel is before Him and the one He comes to rescue. He will gather those lambs like a shepherd and defend them. Remember one of the earliest promises to Abram.

I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:3

This is God’s promise that is to be fulfilled. People will be receive recompense for their work. Those that bless Israel will receive blessing. Those that don’t won’t.

It is hard not to also see the judgment Jesus promised in Revelation 22 above. This is the recompense from Jesus’ own witness of this event. He will award each according to his work.

The Bible calls the wages or recompense of sin as death. When Jesus fulfills this prophecy in Isaiah 40, the rebels will be quashed handily. Read around the texts cited for a witness to the terrible event. Jesus has a robe dipped in blood. It’s a reference to the judgment at the end. One may call it the battle of Armageddon, recent scholarship shows that may be a misunderstanding. The battle is for the Mount of assembly (har moed,) that is Mount Zion.

This is going to be a gruesome scene. I tend to think of this as the great bird feast… Not quite the Thanksgiving we know.

He comes with His reward, and His recompense is before Him… Both what He receives and He repays. I am very grateful I do not get what I deserve.

The End of the Age

As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

Matthew 24:3

Here is the reference for the phrase end of the age. Matthew 24 is generally considered the Olivet Discourse. It’s Jesus giving a private briefing to four disciples answering the question about the end of the age. Clearly, we see lots of things bundled together here. The sign of the coming of Jesus is at the end of the age.

I know these posts are quite long. I am trying to mind the gaps and help folks along. Consider some context into the mindset of the Israelis of the day.

To the Jewish mind of that day, the end of the age was commonly associated with the intervention of God into human history by means of the personal return of the Messiah. Today two thousand years have come and gone since those questions were first asked, making the need for clear answers even more relevant.

Charles Caldwell Ryrie, The Best Is yet to Come (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1981), 21.

It is the markings of the end of the age that became the impetus for this series, in particular this post. I had harmonize the three accounts of the Olivet Discourse. I subtly inquired of God for help in understanding that long ago. The phrase end of the age seemed to hover at the forefront of my mind.

We’ve encountered some of the prophetic writings that point to Jesus specific to the end times. We clearly see that the end of the age is when God intervenes.

“Unless those days were shortened, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Matthew 24:22

Jesus says God intervenes to save Israel (the elect.). Things will be so bad that God has to intervene. It’s hard to ignore how bad things seem to compound every day now.

But Ages…

I used to think that the end of the age was the end of the church age. That is what I was taught. It did not seem to make sense. Particularly because Jesus was speaking privately to a few Jewish folk about the end of the Jewish age. That is an inescapable conclusion. But is He speaking of the end of the Church age or the Jewish age?

I don’t think so, as the quotation of Charles Ryrie leads to a different conclusion. One that is going to shock some.

The Precession of the Equinox

Remember from Genesis 1 the sun is used as a timekeeper. There is one particular function of the sun marking the passage of time known as the Precession of the Equinoxes. This is an observable phenomenon pointing to the rotation of the heavens. That rotation spans 25,920 years.

Form our vantage point, the constellations exhibit a slow rotation over the Earth. This is not to be confused with the diurnal motion of the Earth rotating on its axises that shows the stars moving from east to west every day. Likewise, it is not the movement of the stars due to Earth’s annual orbit around the sun.

There is a way to mark periods longer than centuries or millennia. The phenomenon is measured on the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox is the marker of which day is chosen for Easter. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

The vernal equinox occurs when the sun appears to move northward at the moment it crosses the equator. On that day, an imaginary line is extended from the center of the Earth to the sun when it rises above the horizon. That line points to a particular constellation in the sky. As the years progress the line moves westward through the constellations.

Now, I know that some of y’all are gonna complain that this is astrology. I hear you. But it is not. Astrology has to do with making personal subjective predictions based on the movement of the stars and letting them govern our lives and behavior. We are using the constellations to mark time.

Here is Where it Gets Blurry

The precession is marked by twelve constellations. When we divide the 25,920 years by twelve, we get a period of 2,160 years. Though the math is exact, it doesn’t easily line up with reality. The reality is that the precession is thought to change approximately every 2,000 years. There is no hard and fast rule.

The move from one precessional age to the next comes with some vagueness. These are astronomical distances being used. We can measure with arcs dividing the heavens into twelve compartments. The blurriness comes in the disagreement on the exact year one moves from one age to the next.

I am going to exploit that vagueness.

The Age of Aquarius

Some of us know the song. We sang it. “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.“ That was a mid-to-late 20th century anthem.

The lyric of the song leads one to the dawning of a new age. That is a longing for a return to the Golden Age, the time before the flood when the gods ruled the earth. In reality it was a brutal time for humans, but a Golden Age for gods. (Thats a part of the delusion of the end times.)

The song is sun worship. The powers-that-be worship the black sun… Saturn. They actively call for a Great Reset to a Golden Age. But such as it is, God reworks all of the mess that the enemy makes.

The move into the Age of Aquarius is said by some to have already happened. There is much sloppiness. For what it’s worth, read the article here. Many date setters claim we’ve already moved into it, others claim it happens in 2030. (Which is kind of convenient, given those same powers-that-be have an Agenda 2030 for a New World Order. Out of chaos, they want to implement order… Utopia. Which is to be the Golden Age.)

Is this the End of the Age?

Perhaps. I cannot go further without a bit of conjecture. I know I am leaning into zodiacal information. The coincidences are real.

As the precession goes, we will be moving into the Age of Aquarius. That means we are currently in the Age of Pisces. Before the Age of Pisces was the Age of Aries. And coming before Aries is the Age of Taurus.

Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini

These great ages have some interesting characteristics that are pertinent to this discussion. To the world powers, the Age of Aquarius symbolizes a Utopian Golden Age. One in which humanity flourishes. Aquarius represents the progress from the old system of tradition to a new age. It is seen as an escape from the prison of tradition.

The Age of Pisces began about 2,000 years ago. As we know, there is no consensus on the exact start conclusion of these ages. To the astrologers, Pisces represents the battle between religion and science. These astrologers connect the Age of Pisces with the birth of the church. The duality of Pisces certainly seems to point to a struggle between secular science and spiritual matters. It also points to a single body made of two distinct parts.

Before Pisces is the Age of Aries. This age is represented as the Age of Law. It is signified by the introduction of the Code of Hammurabi. (I know these ideas have there root in Babylon.) The Vedas were introduced in this time, as were the Ten Commandments and other laws governing Israel.

Aries came out of the Age of Taurus. This age encompassed the birth of civilization. It is when the Sumerian culture arose. This time period also saw the establishment of the Egyptian culture. Introduced in this age are the great epics and myths of history which have carried forward to the present.

Preceding Taurus is the Age of Gemini. The symbolism is twin in nature. Yet the age is thought to have seen the birth of cities, art, skills, and trade, which became the underpinnings of civilization.

What I see in this precession is a precision indicative of the spiritual significance of the age. For example, look at this quick outline working backward from the future:

Aquarius: The age of the One Who gives Living Water freely.

Pisces: The current age of fish, a longstanding symbol of Christianity. It speaks to one body consisting of two parts; Jew and Gentiles.

Aries: The age of the ram that began with the call of Abram and the ram provided in place of Isaac, Passover, and the Exodus.

Taurus: The age of bull worship like the golden calf. Think bull as in Bull El and the many names he is honored with in the pantheons of the ancients.

Gemini: The age of duality. As I see it, this is the introduction of another god, an impostor who would usurp the Most High.

To Close

The characteristics of these long ages seem to align loosely with the major ideas of spirituality people. These seem to be differentiated by points of reset. What I mean by reset, think the flood of Noah, scatter of nations, the call of Abram and his progeny emerging as a nation, the advent of Jesus and birth of the church, and the second coming. It’s not a conclusive list at all, but the roughly coinciding points in time draw attention.

We have the Bible which gives us detailed history both looking backward and forward from our present perspective.

I think the powers-that-be also tell us their plans for the evolution of the world well in advance. The art of the culture are meant to provide accoutrements to prepare the rank-and-file to go along.

It seems that science and culture are converging and finally catching up to what the Bible says about the future.

Editing Note:

I do know the enemy is hard at work. I also think that technology is his tool to bring about his will on earth. It is great to have the tech, but comes with pitfalls.

I do apologize that the last part of this post got jumbled and lost. I have tried to reconstruct it from memory. I hope it conveys the ideas accurately and concisely.

Stars: Not People Nor to be Worshipped

Now possessing a framework for understanding what qualifies the children of God, we can press forward. Let us begin with something peculiar from the book of Revelation. (As if this is the only peculiar thing in Revelation.)

Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Revelation 19:9–10

In the context of this passage, an angel has led John in the spirit to view future events. The immediate scene before this text is the marriage supper of the Lamb. If you’ve heard Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, this is that scene. Take a listen and understand this is but a meager and temporal attempt to convey what is happening in heaven.

John was most certainly overwhelmed. He fell at the feet of the angel to worship him. What the angel says to John leads right into this series. The angel basically says to John that he is a peer, “I am your fellow servant.” It’s a glimpse into the future reality for today’s believers. Worship God!

The angel didn’t accept any worship.

What Tripped Up Israel

So they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. But God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets:
‘O House of Israel, have you offered to Me slain animals and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness?
Yes, you even raised the shrine of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, idols which you made to worship; therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon.’

Acts 7:41–43

In his remarkable preaching to Israel, Stephen said many things. Among them was this particular passage. Stephen is revealing why God turned away from Israel. They brought it upon themselves by worshipping the host of heaven. Stephen is paraphrasing part of the writing of Amos.

And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you are led astray and worship them, and serve them, that which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole heaven.

Deuteronomy 4:19

This is a verse that was part of a citation from an earlier post on the Divine Council. Israel was warned to not worship other gods. The host of heaven are the armies of heaven; they are angels.

We know that stars are angels. Another nagging thing is that these angels accepted the worship and did not point those doing so to worship God.

A Necessary Brief History Lesson

For a short history, after Solomon’s death the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom called Israel and the southern kingdom called Judah. The account of this is in 1 Kings 12. In verse 16 the people of the northern kingdom (all Israel) rejected Rehoboam as king. They chose Jeroboam as king. Jeroboam knew there would eventually be a problem, as the temple and Jerusalem remained in Judah, the southern kingdom. He had to do something to keep the hearts of the people from returning to Rehoboam, king of Judah.

At that point, the king got some advice and made two golden calves and said to the people, “It is too difficult for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” He set one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. This was a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even all the way in Dan.

1 Kings 12:28–30

Idolatry was introduced into Israel after the covenant at Mount Sinai. This is a direct reference to what Aaron did for the undivided nation as they were saved from Egypt.

He received them from their hand, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 32:4

What was God’s pronouncement on that?

The Lord spoke to Moses, “Go, and get down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molded calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, which has brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ”

Exodus 32:7–8

They corrupted themselves. The angel with John said to see that you don’t do that. We are fellow servants. Worship God.

We also know that Judah began to accept idolatry. Part of where we get this is God witnessing to the southern kingdom of Judah through the prophet Jeremiah.

At that time, says the Lord, they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his officials, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of their graves. And they will spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped. They will not be gathered, nor be buried. They will be as dung upon the face of the earth.

Jeremiah 8:1–2

There were kings who attempted to remove the idolatry from Judah. Josiah was one who attempted to do just that.

Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

2 Kings 23:5

As a fascinating aside, the word Jew derives from the word Judah. We use it as a word synonymous with Israeli. I’m not using the word as an epithet, just showing the origin of it and the adjective Jewish.

But Stars!

The Bible attests to the numbers of the host of heaven as being allotted and countable.

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names.

Psalm 147:4

Their positions are fixed.

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:26

What we can conclude is that angels are not humans. It would also be correct to assume that humans do not become angels when they die. Interestingly, science has never observed the birth of a star. Could that not be a testimony to the reality that the number of angels is fixed?

The Sun, the Moon, the Host of Heaven

Back to Stephen and his citation of the Prophets. He was using this passage from Amos.

Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings those forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
But you will carry away Sukuth your king and Kaiwan your star-images, your gods that you made for yourselves, as I drive you away into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of Hosts.

Amos 5:25–27

It becomes very clear that the entire nation of Israel, both northern and southern kingdoms, was led astray to worship stars. This text reveals some more information.

Sukuth mentioned here is from an Assyrian epithet of Adar-Ninip (Saturn.) Kaiwan is also another Assyrian loan word that is the planet Saturn. (Some translations use the English word Remphan from the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew word.) The way Stephen says it via the Septuagint he is quoting connects it to Moloch. Saturn is Moloch. (Moloch is represented as a bull.)

So they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.

Acts 7:41

Other scholars have made this connection between Saturn and Moloch. What I know is mostly the work of Derek Gilbert. His book “The Second Coming of Saturn” shows how all of this comes together. Here is a short excerpt that helps us to understand.

It is important to also note how this is connected to the worship of El. He is the ancient god represented by the bull. Also, think back to the previous post where we referenced el from Psalm 89. There seems to be a purposeful and pernicious dissipation of the truth being put forward.

Star-Image

As Stephen referenced Amos, Amos points us to another intriguing revelation. It is the star-image or representation of that god. It is usually an idol.

What some may not understand is that the English name for the last day of the week is Saturday. It is literally Saturn’s Day. Is it any wonder Stephen cited this?

What’s more… Saturday is also Shabbat. The seventh day of the week. The day of God’s rest.

And what of the star-image?

This leads to the area of woo-woo. Because you know nefarious things are afoot. It is the star of the god they worship.

The star of Saturn is a six-pointed star. It is a talisman used in magick rituals called the talisman of Saturn. The symbol is ancient. Those same occult sources also call it the Seal of Solomon.

The star is a six-pointed hexagram. By extension, it is also represented by a hexagon and even a cube.

Saturn

Saturn worship has tripped up Israel from the beginning. I would be the one to opine that Saturn worship began way before the flood. Its inception was in the days of Jared when Cain’s progeny gained technology as recounted in Genesis 4.

Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

Genesis 4:17

We hurry past that verse without thinking. I am very guilty of that. God established the way to do things… A man leaves his family and cleaves to his wife. It was established patriarchy. One that pointed to the earthly father, whose ministry was to emulate the Heavenly Father.

When Enoch built a city, that was a subtle change of disestablishing patriarchy and supplementing and eventually supplanting the role of the father for the fulfillment of our needs and protection. Instead, the king of the city would provide protection and needs.

Enoch’s named progeny in the Bible gives us a hint as to being led astray. Born to Irad was Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. Notice the suffix el. I think this to be evidence of the beginning of Moloch worship.

My conjecture also includes Cain’s progeny as the ones who traded wives for technology. That is, Cain’s daughters were taken by fallen angels. Eventually, the kings of these city-states were gods, titans of old… Giants.

Conclusion

The worship of the host of heaven is almost as old as time itself. It seems to have tripped up Cain’s progeny. It definitely tripped up God’s portion, Israel. The clarity of worship being solely to the Most High God is dissipated by some of the host of heaven.

These angels accepted the worship of themselves as gods. They failed to point the worship of men to the One True God. The Only One worthy of worship.

There are many aspects of history that are obscured. These point to dissipation and interference by fallen angels.

Angels are messengers. They are supposed to speak the truth of God. Perhaps it is this idea of worship that we can identify the veracity of the message told. Angels that speak the truth will not accept worship.

Please don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. See if what I give carries truth. We will finally move on to the final post. One that examines what the stars tell us about the ages.

Stars: As Military and Messengers

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons, and days, and years. Let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.

Genesis 1:14–16

There is a thought rattling around my brain. It has it’s anchor here in the Bible. I thought I could coax it all out in one post, but alas… It will be in a series of I do not know how many.

God made the heavens. He set the sun and the moon to indicate seasons, days, and years. He made the stars also. That is the point from which to launch.

Kokabim

The Hebrew word for stars here is kokabim. It is the plural of the Hebrew word kokab. The total amount of stars created is never given, but it is referenced as a number that is uncountable (Genesis 22:17.) Yet God counts them and calls them all by name.

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names.

Psalm 147:4

This is witnessed again for us in the prophets.

To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal to him? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:25–26

We have these two portions of Scripture that testify to the vast number of stars. We also see that stars are personified; they are given names. The prophet Isaiah reveals to us a different way to describe stars. He uses the Hebrew word tsaba, which is translated into English as host. To understand, the word host is a word that primarily refers to many persons assembled and appointed for military purposes.

The word tsaba was introduced in Genesis.

So the heavens and the earth, and all their hosts, were finished.

Genesis 2:1

The Bible speaks to many references of the host of heaven, like a favorite in 1 Samuel 17:45 where David names Him Jehovah Tsaba (LORD of Hosts.) David is speaking of God) as the Lord of Hosts.

A Star from Jacob

The Bible also likens Jesus to a star in a prophecy given by Balaam.

“I will see him, but not now; I will behold him, but not near; a star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel, and will crush the borderlands of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Edom will be a possession, and Seir, a possession of its enemies, while Israel does valiantly. One out of Jacob shall have dominion, and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Numbers 24:17–19

At His first advent, the birth of Jesus was heralded by His star.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who was born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:1–2

When they heard the king, they departed. And the star which they saw in the east went before them until it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great excitement. And when they came into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:9–11

I had to add that because of the phrase when they saw the star, it occurs to me that it may be a reference to Jesus as well as the star in the sky. That is my speculation… But back on topic.

The prophecy given by Balaam has a parallel with the one given by John.

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19:11–16

I jumped a bit too far ahead but wanted to establish this firmly. The kokabim are an army led by none other than Jesus Christ. They were created at the beginning. There is another term associated with stars that we must also consider. That is sons of God. Tuck all these things into your memory banks, as you will need them to understand the next posts.

Kokabim as Messengers

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who has determined its measurements, if you know? Or who has stretched the line upon it? To what are its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:4–7

I have not begun to exhaust the references of stars as angels. I will leave that for your own endeavors. As it is the glory of kings to search out a matter. Yet amongst all those different references to stars as persons with a military calling, they also serve another purpose.

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:19–20

This is not the first reference of the Greek word that is translated to angel here. It serves the purpose of connecting stars to angels. The Greek word translated to star is then translated in other places as messenger. Not only are stars the host of heaven, but they also serve as messengers doing God’s bidding.

It is not then too difficult to connect some dots. Let us consider what is said in this psalm:

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night declares knowledge. There is no speech and there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has He set a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run a race. Its going forth is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit extends to the other end, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Psalm 19:1–6

The firmament is the home of the stars. It shows His handiwork and proclaims a message. It is one not spoken aloud. Note the change to the personal pronoun. Their line goes to all the Earth. In other words, the messengers of heaven are telling us something not using words. Something that is available to the entire Earth.

Paul quoted part of this psalm. In it he provides another witness to the personhood of the messengers.

But I say, have they not heard? Yes, indeed:
“Their voice went into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Romans 10:18

What is fascinating is that in this portion of Romans, Paul quotes a few other passages from the Tanakh. These passages are somewhat prophetic in nature as they speak of future truth that is revealed by Paul.

But I say, did Israel not know? First, Moses says:
“I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.”
And Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for Me.”
But to Israel He says:
“All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Romans 10:19–21

Your Bible ought to reference the source to all those quotes. They would be easy to find. I will leave that for those inclined.

Who has believed us, and to whom has the lovingkindness of the Lord been revealed?

That is an apparent lament by these messengers. What they have conveyed is not believed. Now, I know that this idea might upset some of what y’all know. Clearly, Paul connects the messengers to the host of heaven, the angelic beings.

Is it not by hearing that brings belief and hearing is by the word of God?

But from stars (angels?)

Messengers to Witness

The charge by Paul is that Israel ought to have known. Because they did not know, they rejected their expected King. Now the ministry of God is being taken away from Israel and given to a different body. That is the beginning of Romans 9 and continues in Romans 10 and 11. It is the body of Christ, who are not a nation. And the people that speak the truth will be taken as foolish by Israel.

God revealed Himself to those that did not seek or ask for God, He revealed Himself to Gentiles as was hidden in the prophets. The arm of the Lord revealed is His mercy in that He has stretched out His hands to a disobedient and contrary people. If that is not lovingkindness, I do not know what that is.

And yes, angels were (and are) always involved.

Which of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? They have even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the disposition of angels, but have not kept it.”

Acts 7:52–53

How was the Law sent?

Therefore we should be more attentive to what we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken by angels was true, and every sin and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation, which was first declared by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him? God also bore them witness with signs and wonders and diverse miracles and with gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His own will.

Hebrews 2:1–4

The inspired commentary from the New Testament tells us that angels are indeed the messengers to men. The stars are messengers. It is their witness that is plain to the whole earth. There are scholars who think that the position of the stars purposely relates a witness of the Gospel and the history of creation. This information was compiled long ago in an easily accessible work called Mazzaroth or The Constellations by Frances Rolleston.

Now the foundation has been laid. Taking what we now have gleaned, let us look back to the Tanakh.

Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Do you see the witness of the heavenly host, and what it conveys?

Do you consider yourself as one of those wise?

Is it not the stars who turn the many to righteousness?

The many is synechdoche. It is used to mean Israel, and by extension in the New Testament… God’s people.

It is not my intent to shame any people. It is to show that the God portrayed in the Tanakh is the loving God of the New Testament. When I read the Tanakh, the tender mercies of God are everywhere. Just reading this song of Moses moves me to tears. It demonstrates the great mercies our Lord has extended to Israel. And by them, to all of us foolish Gentiles who believe Him, He calls wise.

He said: The LORD came from Sinai and rose up from Seir to them; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of holy ones; from His right hand went a fiery law for them. Surely, He loved the people; all His holy ones are in Your hand, and they sit down at Your feet; everyone receives Your words.

Deuteronomy 33:2–3

The Name: No One Knows

I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God.

Revelation 19:11–13 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The Name no one knows. Continuing from the previous installment, we learned the Name of Jesus is too wonderful. As it would be, I literally stumbled upon this text this morning. There are no coincidences.

Look at how John describes what He sees. I find it particularly interesting that it is part of what he is seeing. The idea of the name being solely known by Jesus wasn’t spoken to John. But there it is… His Name is too wonderful that only He knows it.

Then as it were, John clearly apprehends the opening of his Gospel and uses it here.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:2–5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

All of these things (and more) are part of the too wonderful Name. He is above all things. As God has exalted Him and His Name above all.

Even Jesus Himself hallows this name. In one of His earliest teachings, He taught how to pray. Of utmost importance is recognizing the uniqueness and position of the Name.

Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Matthew 6:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

His Name is to be consecrated and venerated. It is not to be something not said at all, as some practice. No, it is to be proclaimed plainly. Proclaiming His Name is part of worship.

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing unto Him, sing praises unto Him; proclaim all His wondrous works. Glory in His holy name; let the heart rejoice for those who seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continuously.

Psalm 105:1–4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It is an integral part of salvation.

And in that day you shall say:
O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away,
and You comforted me. Certainly God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation.
In that day you shall say: Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His deeds among the peoples, make them remember that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; let this be known in all the earth. Cry out and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion. For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst.

Isaiah 12:1–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

With joy we honor His name. Those that call on It exalt Him and are saved. It is also how we share the truth to others… Call upon His Name! make known His deeds among the people.

Consecrating the Name of God is the foremost ideas God communicated to His people in the covenant He made with them. His name will not be sullied.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes His name in vain.

Exodus 20:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

You shall not defile My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the children of Israel: I am the Lord who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 22:32–33 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The Name is even part of the national identity of Israel, which comes from roots that mean wrestle and God. Even you by the appellation applied to you as a Christian are exalting the Name.

Even as much as we exalt the Name of God in worship. It is just a small glimpse into the presence of God. The people that gathered with Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem offered a song of of praise.

It is in that song that the Name of God is hallowed. As it tells of the many ways that Israel attempted to defile the Name of God with their actions. Yet it is in the mercies of God amidst those sins that God establishes His Name:

Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever! Let them bless Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and You preserve them all. And the host of heaven worships You.

Nehemiah 9:5b–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Read the rest of Nehemiah 9 for homework.