Table of Content
Title Page
The Seventy Week Prophecy 272Leaving The Principles of The Doctrine of
Christ Let Us Go Unto Perfection 280
The Seventy
Week Prophecy of Daniel
Page
272
February
22, 2013
The
basis for the following Prophecy is the sacrificial death and ministry of our
Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST. Seeing
the prophecy was handed to us in a symbolic language, we will deal with it
accordingly.
Moses
established a Biblical concept whereby one (1) week represents 7 years.
He
said that after Jacob worked seven years, as a dowry for his beloved Rachel;
then rather than him receiving Rachel to wife, her father, Laban gave him
Leah. Of
course Jacob was disappointed, but once again Laban bargained: “Fulfil
her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven
other years. [28] And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave
him Rachel his daughter to wife also.” Genesis 29:27-28
Then
after the children of Israel balked at the idea of going into Canaan for fear
of the Anakins, the LORD told Israel: “After the number of the days in which ye
searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your
iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.” Numbers
14:34
Therefore
the Lord set a precedence that the biblical scale for one day can and sometimes
has represented one year. Therefore
when you see the word ‘one week’ in this document you are looking at seven (7)
years. And when you run into one (1)
day, you are looking at one (1) year.
Another
tool that the Scripture handed us is the Lunar Calendar.
The
Lunar Calendar considers one year as being 360 days, whereas the Solar Calendar
reckons the year to be 365 ¼ days. Both
Testaments counts the days, months, and years according to the Lunar Calendar. That Calendar was established at the first
day of the Exodus. That is found in
Exodus 12:2. The Apostle John used the
Lunar Calendar in calculating the number of days the LORD nourished the Church
while she was in the wilderness. Revelation 12:14
THE SEVENTY WEEKS
PROPHECY OF DANIEL
There
is so much to be said concerning the Seventy Weeks prophecy my choice is to
single out the most controversial part of the prophecy and go with it. That being:
(I
have copied the Scriptures that apply to our study lest the reader should need
to get out their KJV Bible while considering the doctrine.)
After
much prayer and supplication by the Prophet, Gabriel the Angel appeared unto
him with the following prophecy:
[24]
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish
the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for
iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
[25]
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to
restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven
weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the
wall, even in troublous times.
[26]
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for
himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end
of the war desolations are determined.
[27]
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel
9:24-27
Now to begin our study on: “The One Week
Prophecy”
The
angel told Daniel; “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of
the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince
shall be seven weeks, (or in
real time 49 years) and threescore and
two weeks (62 weeks or 434 years of actual time). Daniel 9:25a
Then
the angel prophesied of an additional week (or 7 more years) when he said:
“Messiah shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (or 7 years).” Daniel 9:27a
After
adding the covenant week of 7 years to the already 483 years we come up with the 490 years) projected. Then
by reverting back into weeks we have the 70 weeks, thus the total weeks of the
prophecy.
That
is hard to follow, huh?
He
said: “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” Romans
15:8
As
we’ve witnessed Paul didn’t leave us scratching our heads as to what the 7 year
Covenant was about. And without
reservation He said that JESUS CHRIST and His ministry was the Covenant that
GOD promised to the patriot fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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274
Yea,
JESUS CHRIST preached His own
everlasting Gospel for the first 3½ years of the Covenant confirming the
promise as He went.
Example:
after the lady of Canaan besought him to
save her lost daughter He confirmed that He was sent to the lost sheep of
Israel. She pled: “O Lord, thou Son of
David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. [23] But he answered her
not a word.” Then after a long pause, He responded “But I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of
the house of Israel. [25] Then she worshipped him, saying, Lord,
help me. [26] But he answered and
said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [27]
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their
masters' table. [28] Then Jesus
answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even
as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” Matthew 15:21-28
The
angel also told Daniel: Messiah shall be cut off in the midst of the week (or
in the midst of the
7 year Covenant.)
Some
have suggested that at the death of JESUS, the Heavenly clock was stopped, put
on hold or paused, and that it shall be restarted at the beginning of the 3½
years of “The Great Tribulation”.
But
nay, seeing that the Covenant was all about JESUS and His Ministry the Heavenly
clock kept on ticking.
Pay
special attention to the following:
The
thousand two hundred and threescore days translates into 1260 days. Then the 1260 days is equal to 3½ years. And then when the 3½ years are added to the
3½ years that JESUS ministered,
it
is a total of 7 years which is the total number of years of the Covenant that
GOD made with the patriot fathers.
John
also said that GOD prepared the woman a place in the wilderness where she is
nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Revelation 12:14
That
3½ years ministry carried with it GOD’S protection from the Devil inspired, ill
willed Jews.
Remember
John also said: She was nourished for a
time, and times, and half a time, from
the face of the serpent.”
What
the Apostle had said was that while in and near Jerusalem the disciples of
JESUS CHRIST were under GOD’S protective umbrella during the 3½ years of their
ministry.
Ah,
but after they had ministered the WORD to Samaria, the 70 weeks or the 490 Years prophecy was history. Soon after the disciples
ministered in Samaria, GOD lifted His protective shield. And
not long after that the Jews killed Stephen.
By
following the directions of the “Seventy weeks,” or the 490 years prophecy, we
arrived at the time and place where the Samaritans ‘received the WORD of GOD’
and the calendar reading was A.D. 33.
After
subtracting that 33 years from the original 490 years, we are left with 457
years to descend into the Old Testament to locate from whence and from whom the
decree to restore and build Jerusalem went forth.
Right
now we are going to put the annals provided by secular history to the test by
going back 457 years. By following
their directions that that was based on the birth, reign and death of Kings we
landed on Ezra chapter 7.
BINGO!
Right
on target, for Ezra chapter 7 yielded the record where King Artaxerxes made the
decree to restore and to build Jerusalem
as the Angel prophesied.
***
This is something that came to mind after our landing was properly executed. If
the heavenly clock had paused or stopped
at the death of JESUS, then to be restarted at “The Great Tribulation;” without
those three years we would not have landed on the seventh chapter of Ezra. Think about it. ***
Now
back to where the Angel’s reference was to restore and build Jerusalem. That decree was not to restore and
build the city itself, but to reinstate the people of Jerusalem in the manner
that had been predetermined by their GOD. In other words the angel used the word
Jerusalem in the since that JESUS did when He lamented:
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276
“O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are
sent unto thee;” Luke 13:34-a
Therefore
Jerusalem in the king’s decree was the people of the city, Jerusalem and not
the city itself.
Now
this is the decree that the Angel prophesied of in Daniel 9:25.
[13] Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the
priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a
time. I make a decree, that all they of
the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are
minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. [14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
[15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
[16] And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
[17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
[18] And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
[19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
[20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
[21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
[22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
[23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
[24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
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277
[25]
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy
God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the
people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and
teach ye them that know them not.” Ezra 7:13-25
In
praise and adoration to GOD, Ezra, Priest and Scribe, blessed his GOD for
setting in motion the restoration of Jerusalem and what’s more He was bringing
it about through the King of Babylon.
Here are the words
that Ezra used in blessing his GOD:
[27] He said: “Blessed be the Lord God of our
fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify
the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem:
[28]
And hath extended mercy unto me before
the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I
was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered
together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” Ezra 7:27-28
And
after long suffering with them to return to their GOD, with little or no
results the cup of GOD’S wrath over flowed its rim. GOD’s retaliatory action was carried out
through King Nebuchadnezzar and his army.
Those Syrians inflicted the people with hunger, they abused many and
killed some and in some cases they did the unthinkable.
Here is the Scribes
account as to what happened:
[1] And it came to pass in the ninth year of his
reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched
against it; and they built forts against it round about.
[2]
And the city was besieged unto the
eleventh year of king Zedekiah. [3] And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
[4] And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
[5] And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
[6] So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
[7] And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. 2 Kings 25:1-7
Now
according to Daniel the captivity of Jerusalem was to end after seventy years. He
wrote: In the first year of his reign I
Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word
of
the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet,
that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Daniel
9:2
Thus
Ezra was to reinstate the people according to the directions given by Moses:
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and
to teach in Israel “For Ezra had statutes and judgments.” Ezra 7:10
The
Scribe continued: “This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in
the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted
him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. Ezra 7:6
The
contents of Ezra, chapter 8 is the roster of the few survivors of the carrying
away to Babylon some seventy years earlier along with their posterity. You
can read that from your KJV if you wish.
Now to Ezra chapter 9,
the Scribe wrote:
[1] Now when these things were done, the princes
came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites,
have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to
their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.[2] For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
[3] And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, And plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
[4] Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.” Ezra 9:1-4
[5] And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God.
[6] And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
[7] Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
[8] And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
[10]
And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy
commandments,
[11]
Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto
which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people
of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to
another with their uncleanness.”
[12]
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their
daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that
ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance
to your children for ever.
[13]
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great
trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities
deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
[15]
O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is
this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand
before thee because of this.
EZRA Chapter 10
[1] Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had
confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there
assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and
children: for the people wept very sore. [2] And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
[3] Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Ezra 10:1-3
[5]
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to
swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
[6]
Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of
Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor
drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been
carried away.[7] And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
[8] And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. Ezra 10: 5-8
May
the Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed forever,
Amen!
P.S
***
Here is a little extra that my Pastor gleaned from cyber space***“The chapter divisions commonly use today were developed by Stephen Langston, an archbishop of Canterbury. Langston put the modern chapter divisions in place around A.D. 1227.”
Leaving The Principles
of The Doctrine of Christ
Let Us Go Onto
Perfection
Page 280
March 4, 2013
Our title is a direct quote from where the writer said:
“Therefore leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward
God. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of
lying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment.” Hebrews 6:1-2
Now what He has said might sound a bit controversial, but no, we
learned those truths and believed them to saving of the soul.
My understanding is that the principle doctrine of Christ is the
birthright of the newborn in Christ but it is not the will of God that they
remain as such.
Peter said: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the
word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2
However, the Hebrew scribe said that it was time to move on. He
wrote: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one
teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. [13] For every one
that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a
babe.”
Hebrews 5:12-13
It has been said that the Church is famished because they are being fed with milk rather than with meat. Paul said: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15
If God had His way, the weak in Paul’s stimulus would only be the
newborn in Christ. However, that is
seldom the case, for some were saved decades earlier, but yet they are on the
milk of the WORD.
May God’s blessings be upon all,
Amen!
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