Those CERTAIN Years And Days Of  ‘Daniel’s People’

 

 

Part One

 

 

“About the Times of the End, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamor and opposition.”

Sir Isaac Newton, 1643-1727

 

 

And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land
.”

Leviticus 25:8,9 KJV

 

 

Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.  And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.”

Isaiah 44:6-7 KJV

 

 

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

Daniel 8:13, The Interlinear Bible

 

 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know (Grk:: ‘ginosko’= knowledge)  the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

Matthew 13:10,11 KJV

 

From the very beginning of the inspired Holy writ, the Holy Spirit has revealed God’s overall plan for man with the use of numbers, while numbering the total length of His detailed scheme for the accomplishment of His purpose. 

 

 

“Starting with the first word in Genesis 1:1,  breshith which means  in the beginning,’ is composed of two Hebrew words, bara and shith, which actually  mean ‘created six.’  The Hebrew word bara is the word used for Creator in the Old Testament.  Thus, creation, Creator, and six are inseparably connected to the first word of the Bible, breshith-  in the beginning.’ “  (Beginnings, the Sacred Design, by Bonnie Gaunt)

 

 

The word, breshith, itself, begins to show forth the Creator’s plan for the total time of the Adamic creation from beginning to end, by ‘numbering its days’ confined within the first  six day week, followed by the Sabbath,  the seventh day of rest.   The Berean can know how the Creator equates a 24 hour day with a thousand years, as in 2 Peter 3:8, he is told:   “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” We can know for certain that  “each day” in the Creation week was a 24 hour day because of the simple statement the Holy Spirit wrote down after each new day of the six days…”the evening and the morning were…..” which simply depicts a 24 hour revolution of the earth. 

 

 

“The number 6 is unique.  It is the only number that is both the sum and product of its parts.  By adding 1+2+3, the answer is 6, or by multiplying 1x2x3, the answer is 6.  The number 6 is also called a ‘perfect number’ because it is equal to the sum of its factors.  Very few numbers have this quality.  The next perfect number is 28.  Only 23 perfect numbers have ever been found and the number 6 is the first one.”  [Beginnings, The Sacred Design, by Bonnie Gaunt]

 

 

It is known that the Earth moves in space the equivalent of its own diameter in just six minutes!  For example, in order to move an Earth-bound asteroid off target, it would be enough to delay its arrival time only by six minutes!

 

60 minutes x 24 hours = 1440 minutes

 

6 days x 24 hours = 144 hours

 

60 minutes x 144 hours = 8640 minutes

 

Diameter of the Sun/Son =  864,000 miles, when at the end of the Tribulation, “the Sun/Son of Righteous shall rise with healing in his wings.”

 

The Sun/Son’s annual circuit through the heavens= 25,920 miles

 

25,920 divided by 1440 = 18

 

 

In Judaism, exactly at 18 minutes before every Sabbath sundown all around the world, during the 144th hour of the week, the Sabbath candles are ‘kindled’ as a “light shining in a dark place.”   4 presundown 18 minute kindling times before Sabbath = 72 minutes, and ‘3 days and 3 nights’ = 72 hours, in which the “Light of the World” was in the dark grave. 72 minutes x 12 months = 864 minutes per year, which is the factor of the diameter of the “Light of the world”…the Sun/Son ! 

 

 

The number 18 in Judaism represents ‘bondage’, ‘life,’ ‘longevity,’ and stands for ‘righteousness’ as the 18th letter the Hebrew alpha-bet is the ‘Tzaddi’ of which there are two forms of the letter:  c (the bent form) and the final Tzaddi u (the standing form).  Isn’t it interesting, that the day of Resurrection is the 18th day of Nisan, when the ‘final’  Tzaddi  stands upin righteousness!

 

 

In Judaism there is an important prayer called the ‘Amidah’ or ‘Standing Prayer’ which is also called the ‘Sh’moneh Esreh’ or ‘Eighteenblessings.  At the institution of the Messianic Age, and the transference of the millennial Kingdom to planet Earth,  the redeemed of Israel, a judged, forgiven and humble remnant who will have been brought through alive from the seven years of Tribulation, will be  able to pray their ‘Amidah’ while bowing before their own dear Messiah, “The Light of the World” who has come to earth to be with them forevermore!  But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this dayWhen thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;  (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” Deuteronomy 4:4,30-31 KJV

 

 

God, the Creator is surely a God of order, a most crucial and important concept to see and recognize as we attempt to look at everything in Creation, and also in the Bible!  There is hardly a concept in Scripture that aids the Bible student more than observing God’s ordained order of progressive revelation, beginning with Genesis 1 and continuing through to the end of Revelation.  Being aware of the Holy Spirit’s contextual order is one of the most important keys of proper exegesis and understanding Scripture.

 

 

The total verse of Genesis 1:1, in the original Hebrew language consists of  7 words, containing a total of 28 alphabetical letters.  Beginning at the beginning, we not only  see the Creator’s divine use of His number 7, but He immediately  reveals a very important piece of information about Himself, that is,  His constant, never-changing, eternal, physical position in the MIDDLE of Creation !

 

 

Colossians 1:13-17 tells us this about the Creator:  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him : And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

 

 

The Son of God, Christ Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, who ALWAYS stands in the MIDDLE of the Trinity, is also found in the MIDDLE of seven and of nine, and of all things!

 

 

Jesus, the Y’shua-Messiah of Israel, in the MIDDLE of a week, on Nisan 14, a Wednesday, at His once-and-for-all Atonement on the stake, accomplished the following for the nation of Israel, and all mankind:   He finished and put an end to transgression, sealed up and made full the measure of sin, purged away and made expiation and reconciliation for sin, brought in everlasting righteousness (permanent moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), sealed up vision and prophecy and prophet, and anointed a Holy of Holies.

 

 

Jesus died on the Cross in the MIDDLE of a Sabbatical cycle, in the spring of 30 a.d.

           

            *  According to both HebCal Calendar and the Aish Luach Calendar, from 25 a.d. thru 36 a.d., ONLY  in years 27 a.d. 3787, and 30 a.d. 3790,  did Nisan 14, the eve of Passover, fall on a Wednesday, in the MIDDLE of the week.

 

 

 

[From Tishri 1, 26 a.c. Jewish year 3787 to Nisan 1, Jewish year 3790 is 42 months. ]

 

 

Jesus arose on Nisan 18, in the MIDDLE of the 7 days of the Passover week, Nisan 15 thru Nisan 21.

 

 

Jesus hung on a stake in the MIDDLE of the 9 days between Nisan 10 and Nisan 18.

 

In Revelation 22: 13, in the Greek, Jesus said, “I  AM the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last,” using the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.  In Hebrew, using the first and last letter of that alpha-bet, Y’shua  says, “ I AM the Aleph and the Tav,”   the First (rishon) and the Last (acharon), and the Beginning (rosh) and the Ending (sof).


The Hebrew alpha-bet is composed of 22 original letters.  As written in Hebrew, Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God (Aleph/Tav ) created the heavens and the earth, "  consists of 7 words and 28 letters.  The Aleph  is this:   )  and the Tav is this:     t  

 

 

The t) appears, reading the verse left to right as Hebrew requires, in the MIDDLE of the 28 letters, and in the MIDDLE of the 7 words of Genesis 1.    This word, t) is Strong’s number 852, and the definition of this Hebrew word is:  sign, miraculous signs, wonders”.  

 

 

The “miraculous sign and wonder” stands in the MIDDLE of Genesis 1:1.

 

 

The rabbis refer to the aleph and the tav as the "Word of Creation."

 

 

In a beginning God [Aleph-Tav] (the Alpha and the Omega who is Jesus Christ) created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1).
"And God [Aleph-Tav] made the firmament (space or sky)...
"And God [Aleph-Tav] made (prepared) two great lights...
"And God [Aleph-Tav] set (appointed) them in the firmament (sky) to give light...
"And God [Aleph-Tav] created great whales...
"And God [Aleph-Tav] made the beast...
"So God [Aleph-Tav] created man...
"And God [Aleph-Tav] saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good..."
(Gen 1:1,7,16-17,21,25,27,31).
Genesis 2:
"And God [Aleph-Tav] blessed the seventh day and sanctified it... (Also see Mark 2:27-28)
"And the Lord God [Aleph-Tav] formed man of the dust of the ground...
"And the Lord God [Aleph-Tav] took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden...
"And the Lord God [Aleph-Tav] made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man..."
(Gen 2:3,7,15,22).

Serf Publishing Research and Education Files

 

 

Another interesting fact about the first three words in Hebrew of Genesis 1:1 which are...“beginning God created…” is this reading right to left:  BeresheeT… ElohiMBarA.   If we take the first three letters (aleph, mem, tav)  of the very first three words of the Torah,  they form the Hebrew word, “emet  which means “truth.”   With  aleph opening the Hebrew alphabet and tav closing the alphabet, with  mem standing in the middle of the alphabet, “THE  TRUTH” is revealed.

 

 

According to the Bible, the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem are placed in the MIDDLE of the Earth. 

 

 

Isaiah 19:24 says:  “In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: “    (in Strong’s, the word ‘midst’ also means ‘middle.’)

 

 

Ezekiel 38:12 says:  “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst (middle) of the land.”  The New Jerusalem Bible renders this translation:  “….that dwell in the Navel of the World.”

 

 

I believe the ancient city of Shiloh is the exact center of planet Earth.  The Biblical city of Shiloh is located about a ½ hour drive due north from Jerusalem.  It is an established fact that the age of planet Earth itself is many millions of years, perhaps billions.   From satellite imagery high above the nation of Israel, it is possible to see four hills which were placed there at the beginning of the earth’s creation by the Creator Himself.  These four hills, created together form the modern four Hebrew letters of Yod, Hay, Vav, Hay.  These are the letters in Hebrew which form the four hills:   yhwh  which in English are the letters “YHVH.   YHVH is a name that is usually translated “Lord.”

 

 

“YHVH is used approximately 7,000 times in the Bible (Tanakh), more than any other name for God.  It is also referred to as the “Tetragammaton” which means “The Four Letters” because it comes from the four Hebrew words.  It is generally believed that these four letters represent the tenses of the Hebrew word for ‘to be.’  That is, HVH (Hovah) = to be, HYH (Hayah) = was, and YHYH (Yi-yeh) will be. 

 

 

[ In Revelation 1: 8, Jesus the Creator said this about himself,  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”  KJV ]

 

 

This name is the special memorial-name that Jesus the Creator, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” and He said, thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to youthis is My eternal name, and this is how I am to be recalled for all generations.”  Exodus 3:14-15.  Actually, the phrase in Hebrew is “eh-yeh asher eh yeh.” The word, “eh-yeh” being the first person future form of ‘hovah” (to be).  A better English translation would really be, “I will be who (or what or that) I will be.”

 

 

Another often used English transliteration is Yaweh, which seems to be more correct, but the consensus among rabbinic scholars is that we no longer know the proper pronunciation.  The Jewish people stopped saying the Name by the third century C.E. out of fear of violating the commandment “You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain.” Exodus 20:7.  According to the rabbis, the Tetragrammaton may not be pronounced under any circumstances.  The word, Adonai, which simply means my Master or my Lord, is spoken in place of YHVH during prayer, otherwise, it is simply uttered as “HaShem,” The Name.”  [end of quote]

Congregation Shema Yisrael (Messianic)

 

 

The bottom line is this, whenever planet Earth was created in the ages past, Jesus the Creator, The I AM WHO I AM to Moses and the nation of Israel, Yaweh and YHVH in the beginning, inscribed His own NAME, yhwh on four contingent hills in the very MIDDLE of planet Earth, at the Navel of the Earth, which after the countless ages past, because of satellite imagery, is still visible for all men to see today.   The placement of THE NAME there, is a direct prophecy about the destruction of the Tabernacle at Shiloh because of the sin of Israel, about which YHVH, Y’shua, was speaking in Jeremiah 7:12:  But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.”

 

 

Joshua 18:1:  And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.”

 

 

The word “Shiloh” is a Messianic name for Yeshua, in the Bible.  Genesis 49:10 says, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

 

 

The Hebrew meaning of “Shiloh” is:  he who is to be sent.”

 

 

In a prior study, another MIDDLE position which has always been symbolic of Y’shua, was extensively discussed, that of the ‘middle’ of the seven branch menorah which God commanded Moses to build out of ‘beaten gold.’

 

 

The text below is taken from “Pope Asked To Return Temple Menorah” by J.R. Church, April, 1996, Prophecy In The News:

 

The first-century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, described the Menorah built for Moses by Bezaleel: "Over against this table, near the southern wall, was set a candlestick of cast gold, hollow within, being of the weight of one hundred pounds, which the Hebrews call Chinchares; if it be turned into the Greek language, it denotes a talent. It was made with its knops, and lilies, and pomegranates, and bowls (which ornaments amounted to seventy in all); by which means the shaft elevated itself on high from a single base, and spread itself into as many branches as there are planets, including the sun among them. It terminated in seven heads, in one row, all standing parallel to one another; and these branches carried seven lamps, one by one, in imitation of the number of planets. These lamps looked to the east and to the south, the candlestick being situated obliquely."

 

The Menorah was placed adjacent to the south wall, just across the room from the table of shewbread in the Holy Place of the Mosaic Tabernacle. It stood obliquely toward the east and toward the south. Some rabbinic sources say the three eastern lamps faced northwest - toward the center lamp and the three western lamps faced south east - toward the center lamp. The fourth or center lamp faced northeast toward the middle of the room.

 

This middle lamp was called Ner Elohim, the "Lamp of God" as well as Shamash, the "Servant Lamp." It was also called the "Western Lamp" because it stood just west of the three eastern lamps. Each lamp held "six eggs" measure of oil which would last one day.

 

The Miracle of the Menorah

Each morning, a priest would service the lamps, except the two most easterly. If he found any lamps extinguished, he relit them. The two eastern lamps were left burning until after the morning service. The Servant Lamp was left burning all day and was refilled in the evening. There are stories that the Shamash would continue to burn for as much as a day longer on the same amount of oil. Rabbis called this "the miracle of the Menorah."

 

Solomon's Temple

When Solomon built his Temple, the Mosaic Menorah served in the new Holy Place. It was given a prominent position in Solomon's Temple, though several lampstands were built and used throughout the complex. What happened to that first Menorah remains a mystery. One account suggests an angel hid the Mosaic Menorah and other Temple artifacts in an underground chamber, beneath the Most Holy Place, just prior to the Babylonian destruction of the Temple in 587 B.C. When the third Temple is built, the angel should return, open the mysterious chamber, and retrieve the Temple furnishings.

 

Zerubbabel's Temple

After the Babylonian captivity, the exiles returned to Jerusalem and restored Temple worship. It is likely that one of Solomon's menorahs was used in the sanctuary built by Zerubbabel.

 

Antiochus Epiphanes

In 168 B.C., the Syrian general, Antiochus Epiphanes, sacked Jerusalem and stole the Menorah, along with the rest of the Temple treasury. Josephus wrote:

 

"So he left the temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar of incense, and table of shewbread, and the altar of burnt offering; and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and left nothing at all remaining.

 

Three years later, on the 25th of Kislev, 165 B.C., Judas Maccabaeus drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem and proceeded to cleanse the Temple. They replaced the Menorah, altar, table, and other furnishings with new items. Josephus reported:

"When therefore he had carefully purged it, and had brought in new vessels, the candlestick, the table, and the altar, which were made of gold, he hung up the veils at the gates, and added doors to them. He also took down the altar of burnt offering, and built a new one of stones that he gathered together, and not of such as were hewn with iron tools. So on the five and twentieth day of the month Kislev, they lighted the lamps that were on the candlestick, and offered incense upon the altar, and laid the loaves upon the table, and offered burnt offerings upon the new altar."

 

The Feast of Lights

But they found only one day's oil supply for the Menorah. It would take eight days to produce another batch of oil. However, the priests serviced the lamps and lit them anyway. Those lamps burned for eight days on one day's oil supply!

 

The miracle was looked upon as a special blessing from God. So the priesthood established the festival of Dedication (Hanukkah) to commemorate the miracle. The festival is also called the Feast of Lights. Jewish families celebrate the festival of Hanukkah with small menorahs at home featuring eight candles plus a Servant Candle for a total of nine. One candle is lit each day during the eight days of Hanukkah, using the fire of the Servant Candle.

 

Pluto Fizzles as a Planet

For many years Americans were told that there were nine planets in our Solar System. With the advent of the Hubble telescope, however, we have learned that Pluto is just an overgrown asteroid - only about a thousand miles in diameter - too small to be a planet.

 

How fascinating! With the sun as the great Servant Lamp of our universe, and only eight planets, we have a marvelous Hanukkah Menorah! Concerning the original seven lamp Menorah, Josephus wrote that it was designed after the sun and the planets. During the era of the Bible, man could only see seven wanderers through the heavens - the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. But the festival of Hanukkah lends a divine element to the age of Gentile Christianity. No man could have known that two more planets would be discovered [Uranus and Neptune].    Yet two extra lamps were added to the Menorah just before the advent of the Christian era!

 

Herod's Temple

The Menorah that stood in Herod's Temple might have been the one built by Judas Maccabaeus, because the Servant Lamp on that Menorah was said to burn longer than the other lamps. Upon the destruction of Herod's Temple in A.D. 70, the Romans carried the Menorah to Rome and paraded it through the streets. A stone relief of that parade, along with the Menorah, was carved into the Arch of Titus that stands along the Appian Way near the Forum in Rome to this day.

 

Simeon, the Righteous

The Jewish Encyclopedia says that the Lamp went out upon the death of "Simeon, the Righteous, who was high priest in those days." And who was this Simeon? Was he the Simeon of Luke 2:25-36? The account tells of a certain Simeon, who was in the Temple when the one-month-old Jesus was brought in by Joseph and Mary for his "Redemption of the Firstborn" ceremony.

 

According to certain details in the story, Simeon, the Righteous, and the Simeon in Luke's account could very well be one and the same.

 

"... the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

 

"And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:25-26).

 

Note that his death was divinely delayed until he could see the promised Messiah. And in the Jerusalem Talmud account, when Simeon, the Righteous, died, the Servant Lamp went out. Both stories were centered around a death experience.

 

Luke's account does not refer to him as the high priest, but the story is set in the Temple. Furthermore, he had to be a priest in order to preside over the "Redemption of the Firstborn" ceremony. If he was not the high priest, and if he believed Jesus was the Messiah, he should have immediately fetched the high priest. Since the account does not say that he reported his find to the high priest, one may assume that he, himself, was the high priest.

 

Simeon took the child up in his arms and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word" (Luke 2:29). Again, the subject concerns Simeon's impending death. Simeon continued:

 

"For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:30-32).

 

He called Jesus a "light to lighten the Gentiles!"  Indeed!  It appears that Jesus was the fulfillment of this mystery surrounding the Menorah!

 

The story in the Jerusalem Talmud places the time frame for the failure of the Servant Lamp at about 40 years before the destruction of the Temple. It seems odd that the lamp would fail during the ministry of Jesus.

 

Furthermore, as I understand the story, the problem continued for 40 years. Perhaps the crucifixion had something to do with it. The Talmud account says nothing about Jesus being the cause - only that "the miracle of the Menorah ceased upon the death of Simeon the Righteous, who was high priest in those days."  [end of quotation]

 

Isn’t it so astounding to find out that two extra lamps were added to the Menorah, for a total of 9, just before the advent of the Christian era, just prior to the  coming to the nation of Israel and the whole world,  by “YHVH” in order to place ‘TO BE’  ‘WAS’  and  WILL BE’  in the MIDDLE of the nine branch Menorah…as Yeshua, the Lamp of God,  a light to lighten the Gentiles!”

 

A prophecy about Y’shua Messiah is found in Isaiah 9:2, from the Amplified Bible:  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.”

 

The number ‘9’ in Judaism is a very interesting number.  The ninth letter of the Hebrew alpha-bet is Tet which looks like this:   m This letter is said by the rabbis to represent “diminishment, followed by enlargement.”  Its Biblical meaning is ‘New Life,’ ‘Divine Truth,’ ‘Eternity,’ ‘Fruit of the Spirit.’ 

 

A very important Biblical representation of the number ‘9’ is that it represents a complete Jubilee cycle.  Leviticus 25 says this about the Jubilee cycle, in verse 8: “And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years 11: A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. 12: For it is the jubilee; it

 

shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. 20: And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:  21: Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.  22: And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.

 

In a previous study, it was shown by adding up the first 9 years of any decade by the numbered Jewish years, the total always reflects the numbers of the 4th Jewish calendar year with a number  5 always added as the last number on the right. 

 

Example:  Year  2000:  5760 + 5761 + 5762 + 5763 + 5764   (5764.5)  +5765 + 5766+ 5767 + 5768 + 5769    =    57645

 

This same rule also applies by adding up the first 9 years of any decade on the Gregorian Calendar.

 

Also in an earlier study, this constant mathematical principle was wrongly interpreted as depicting the spring of the 4th year as the MIDDLE of seven, which is true, but that is not the basic principle revealed here.  Instead, it is clear to see that conclusion did not allow for the ‘fullness’ of the 4th year to be completed !  Even though 3.5/4 is indeed the middle of seven, it is now understood that the Creator has constantly been pointing to the MIDDLE of nine, at the spring time  following  the 4th year!  The spring of 5765 is the actual 4.5 position of the first  9 years of the present decade…from Tishri 1, 5760, 1999 to Tishri 1, 5769, 2008. 

 

Just an interesting observation:  The MIDDLE of 7 is 3.5.  The MIDDLE of 9 is 4.5. The sum total of 3.5 + 4.5 = 8, the number of “new beginnings”…and a number in Hebrew for  Y’shua,  Himself. May we not deduce a principle from this?  SOME  NEW BEGINNINGS” BEGIN  IN  THE  MIDDLE !

 

No wonder the Creator Mathematician inserted this ageless law for all to see, in order to point to Himself as the Eternal ‘”LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES” when He shall come for His dear Gentile Church  as those who have been dwelling in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon whom has the Light shined, after which  the Day of the Lord will immediately open and the perilous time of the  3 ½ years of  “Jacob’s Trouble followed by  the  remaining 3 ½ years of “the times of the Gentiles” will begin.

 

Remember, that as the ‘aleph and the tav’  Jesus appears as ‘a sign and a wonder’ in the MIDDLE of all things!

 

Counting  Nisan 10, the opening day of ‘Passion Week’ to Resurrection Day, Nisan 18, is a 9 day pattern of the Jubilee symbol !  The arrival of the Jubilee always brings REST, and after 40 years of wilderness wandering, beginning with Nisan 10, the children of Israel crossed over the Jordan River in order to enter their rest of the Promised Land.  By the end of that first sabbath rest and by the dawn of Nisan 18, the manna had already ceased and the people had begun to eat of the ‘fruits’ of the Land.

 

As stated, by hanging on the Cross in the MIDDLE between Nisan 10 and Nisan 18, He not only revealed His ‘Servant Candle’ position in the 9 branch design of the Hanukkah Menorah, but He also typified the Jubilee principle.  He hung between Heaven and Earth in the MIDDLE while becoming “the Light to lighten the Gentiles” and then rose from the Grave, which made possible the eternal rest for all believers.

 

In Daniel Chapter 8, there is the most intriguing  portion of Scripture.  The following is taken from an article by F.C. Gilbert, “Messiah In His Sanctuary”:

  1. While the prophet Daniel was still in vision, what question did a "certain saint" ask, and of whom? Dan. 8:13.

 

By reading verse 13 of Daniel 8, it is evident there were three individuals present at the time Daniel received his vision.  One was the angel Gabriel, the second was Daniel, and the third was a "certain saint" who was asked a question. The original text for the words of our translation, "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake," is (Wa-eshmaah echad-qadosh medabber wayyomer echad qadosh lappalmoni hamdabber). Rendering the Hebrew text literally, we have the following: "I heard one holy one who was the speaker; and a holy one said to (Palmoni) who was the speaker." From the foregoing we learn that the speaker of the vision is one whose name is Palmoni. Palmoni is a contracted Hebrew word, derived from two words, (Pele) and (mena). Pele means "wonderful." (See Isa. 9:6, where the word pele is translated "wonderful.") Menu means "numberer." (See Dan. 5:25, 26, where the words "mene, mene," are translated "numbered.") Palmoni means "wonderful numberer." (See Dan. 8:13, margin.) This "wonderful numberer" is none other than our Lord Himself.

  1. To whom did the prophet say was given the answer to this question? Dan. 8:14.

Our Lord, Gabriel, and Daniel are the three persons taking part in the vision. (Compare Dan. 10:21.) ‘Gabriel (see Luke 1:19) asks Palmoni a question : "How long … the vision?" There are a number of supplied words in verse 13. These supplied words do not belong to the text. Instead of Palmoni directing His answer to the angel, the prophet said, ‘He turned unto me, and said:’  Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,’ verse 14. Our Lord spoke directly to the prophet. Gabriel evidently raised the question for Daniel’s benefit.” [end of quotation]

 

It is so important to see how the Holy Spirit here calls the Lord, the “Wonderful Numberer.”  It is important for Bible students to recognize how Scripture teaches that the Creator Mathematician has numbered almost everything throughout His Creation !

 

Mathematics is called the only ‘perfect science.’ The dictionary definition is “THE SCIENCE OF ORDER.” It begins with elementary mathematics as arithmetic, and ascends to the higher levels as algebra, geometry, trigonometry and beyond, and is also divided into areas of study described as ‘abstract,’  ‘applied,’  ‘deductive’ and ‘inductive.’ While I dare say, some of us have never risen too much higher than elementary arithmetic, Palmoni, the Wonderful Numberer, made sure that His profound number concepts scattered throughout the surface of His precious Word are revealed by baby arithmetic that even a child may understand.  I wonder if this could be one of the reasons why Jesus said in Matthew 11: 25:  “….. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” By applying the principle of simple arithmetic to Scriptures’ many ‘puzzles,’ the Bible student will never go wrong in his attempt to understand and rightly discern the Word of Truth.

 

For the Godly Jew and we, as Bible students can now know that the  certain saint,” of Daniel 8,  who is the   Wonderful Numberer’ has appointed “certain years” and “certain days” in which to fulfill many of His prophecies!

 

In a quote from “Shavuot & The Magnificent 7’s,” Rabbi Yaakov Salomon says...”In the beginning…God created ‘7’s…for reasons unknown to us.  He seemed to have a special affinity for the number 7.  The fact that the Torah begins with a verse containing 7 words and 28 letters (divisible by 7) is hardly remarkable.  But when placed within the context of the overwhelming number of associations in Judaism with ‘7’ a fascinating tapestry begins to unfurl.”  [end of quote]

 

For a wonderful teaching entitled “The Sevens (7) of the Bible in Time and Nature,” I highly recommend the source of the article on the web site Christian Geology Ministry.

 

The totality of Adamic time is enclosed a one 7 day week.  “In Judaism, the number ‘7’ represents ‘wholeness and completion.  The Hebrew number ‘7’ is ‘Zayin  which  is this letter:   z It is said to be the letter of spirit, sustenance and struggle, and represents the ‘focal point’ or center of peace.  The seventh factor is the placid center of it all.” [ from “New Revelation Discovered In Revelation,” by Gary Stearman, Prophecy in the News, December, 1992]

 

I will not enumerate all the ‘7’s in the Bible that we have come to study over the years.  But we are reminded especially about the Sabbath, the Seventh day which always represents REST and points to the ‘seventh day of Creation’ which typifies the 7,000th  year from the beginning of Creation that will result in  the Millennial Kingdom Age when Y’shua the Messiah will bring the Kingdom of Heaven to planet Earth,  at the end of the seven years of Tribulation.  This will fulfill the covenant made long ago to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of their promised Kingdom of David over which Messiah will reign with a “rod of iron.”  Y’shua will then become Israel’s true Messiah-Redeemer-King and High Priest for evermore.  We also do not forget the most important principle of the ‘Wonderful Numberer,’ that   7 x 7 equals the 49 years of the nation of Israel’s  Jubilee cycle.

 

The method of ‘counting’ the years of Israel’s Biblical history has been turned into a tortuous and contorted scheme by many over the years.  The question of all the different calendars, i.e. the Babylonian, the Julian, the Egyptian, the Gregorian, etc is always interjected into the method, along with the age-old controversy of adding an extra year because of the so-called absence of the zero year in the Gregorian calendar, and whether to make the counts of years  ‘fractional’ by a ‘fitting 360 days’ into the solar year of 365 days.  All of this may be completely brushed aside by noting and adhering to the way that God has counted Israel’s years from the beginning!  Again, by simple arithmetic…God commanded that they observe the new moon of each month.  From Genesis 1 thru Exodus 11, it is a well established fact the Bible dates the beginning of the year in the Fall, commencing with the month of Tishri.  From Exodus 12:1 through to the end of Revelation, all Bible dating is based on the ‘levitical’ or sacred year count which begins the New Year in the spring, at Nisan 1.  Beginning with the Mosaic Law, the Lord commanded the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee year to begin to be counted in the fall month of Tishri, which later became known as the civil calendar.    One can once and for all be grounded in their thinking about how to count  Israel’s Sabbatical calendar years by this one text alone: Leviticus 25:8-10 says:  And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.  Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you;….”

 

The true END of the 7th year and the 49th year obviously occurred on Tishri 8/9, because the 50th year (which was to be year 1 of the next 49 years) was to commence on the day of  atonement, Tishri 9/10.  In footnote #141 to the chapter entitled ‘Yom Kippur~In Olden Days’ in the book by Hayyim Schauss, “The Jewish Festivals History & Observance,” the author says this: “We can see from the Bible that the tenth day of Tishri was originally the beginning of the (civil) year...and is designated in the Bible as the day on which the Jubilee year is to be announced.”

 

WHENEVER, the nation of Israel began their counts of years with year 1, (and it was not at the year of Creation), they have counted their years consecutively, without having to worry about any other nations’ calendars  OR THE ZERO YEAR !

 

Therefore, since the Law of Moses was instituted, every 7th year was to be set aside as a ‘sabbath of rest,’ a holy year, a Sabbatical year, and since  Israel counts their years consecutively, THEN EVERY YEAR CLAIMED TO BE A SABBATICAL YEAR MUST BE ABLE TO BE DIVIDED EVENLY  BY 7 !  How much more profoundly simple could it be? Take ANY known Jewish sabbatical year in their history, and if that Jewish numbered year divides equally by 7, then for sure, it will be a Sabbatical year, proving that Israel is STILL on their proper ‘counts of years.’  The last Sabbatical year was 5761, which began in Tishri of 2000 and ended on Elul 29, 2001.  5761 divided by 7 = 823.  We can be assured that in spite of all the different known calendars and the zero year controversy,  for 5,761 years, the count of the every-7th–year is right on schedule!

 

Please note that any one Sabbatical year covers a period of 2 Gregorian years because it always begins in Tishri of one year for 3 months, and the majority of the year extends into the next year for 9 months, ending in the fall.  In the a.d. years, with the advent of the Gregorian calendar, the last number on the right of the Jewish year is the same digit as the last number on the right of the majority Gregorian year. Example:  5761= 2001. 

 

According to Hebrew calendars, and especially the calendar according to ‘Aish Luach Hebrew/Civil Calendar by Kaluach,’ the spring of year 27 a.d. was Jewish Year 3787. 3787 a.d. was a Sabbatical year because it divides equally by 7.  Jewish year 3787 began in Tishri of Gregorian year 26 a.d.   The spring of year 30 a.d. was Jewish Year 3790, which had begun in Tishri of 29 a.d. 

 

The Lord has so graciously made sure that ancient history documented ‘certain’ known Sabbatical years and at least one Jubilee year in order that Israel would always have a ‘benchmark’ date from which to go up or down on their historical calendar.

 

In 2 Kings 18, the Holy Spirit tells us how ‘The Assyrian’ King Sennacherib came down and “took all the fenced cities of Judah” years after another King of Assyria had already taken the ‘ten northern tribes” of Israel into captivity.  Now, “in the 14th year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib and his army were attempting a foray upon Judah and Jerusalem.  He immediately demanded payment of gold and silver to which Hezekiah quickly agreed and delivered to him.  When the servants of Sennacherib began to blaspheme the God of Israel, Hezekiah became frightened and asked the prophet Isaiah to ask God for a sign of deliverance.  In 19:29, God gave this answer to Hezekiah, through the prophet Isaiah:

 

And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.” 

 

The “eating of the fruits” was possible in the 9th year, which took place in the sowing of the 8th year !  Why can we know this?  Because…

 

These words of God’s “sign” are a reiteration of ‘the principle of the provision of the Jubilee year’ as in Leviticus 25:20-22…   And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:  Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.   KJV

 

The date of this attempted invasion by ‘the Assyrian’ Sennacherib has been documented in Israel’s history.  According to “The Timetables of Jewish History” by Gribetz, Greenstein and Stein, this date is known to be 701 b.c.  By beginning with ANY known majority Sabbatical year, and counting backwards by 7’s, or 70’s or by 700 CONSECUTIVELY, i.e.  beginning with 2001, we come right to 701 b.c. which is exactly 2,702 years back.  By subtracting 2,702 years from Jewish year 5761, which was Gregorian year 2001, we can know that 701 b.c. was in fact Jewish year 3059.   Not only does 3059 divided equally by 7 (which is 437), but the number of years between 3059 and 5761, which is 2702, also evenly divides by 7 (which is 386).  This proves that 701 b.c. was indeed a majority Sabbatical year, which had begun in Tishri of 702 b.c.   Again, this is simply possible because of the fact that Israel counts her years consecutively, and every Sabbatical year MUST be able to be divided evenly by 7! 

 

I believe that because God said, “This shall be a sign unto you,” and the fact that God was to “make provision” for the Jews for 3 years, and after “sowing” in the eighth year, “until the ninth year- until her fruits come in,” we can easily say that 701 b.c. was for ‘certain’ a 49th year, a Jubilee year !

 

In a decade of 9 years, the example of how the 9th year = the Jubilee year:  Israel’s present Sabbatical cycle began on Tishri 1, 2000:

 

 5761 (yr 1)  5762  (yr 2)  5763 (yr 3)  5764 (yr 4)  5765 (yr 5)  5766 (yr 6) 5767 (yr 7) 5768 yr 8 …the Sabbatical year and the 49th year.. and lastly,  (year 9)  5769, the 50th year or Jubilee year, and year 1 of the next Sabbatical cycle  (more proof of this will be presented later).

 

In a prior paper, we studied about how Leviticus 19, teaches the ‘principle of provision’ and the principle of  ‘circumcision of the tree fruit,’ for in verses 23-25 it says from the Amplified….“And when you come into the land and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count the fruit of them as inedible and forbidden to you for three years; it shall not be eaten. In the fourth year all their fruit shall be holy for giving praise to the Lord.  But in the fifth year you may eat of the fruit [of the trees], that their produce may enrich you; I am the Lord your God. 

 

We found out how scientifically it takes 3 full growing seasons without pesticides before tree fruits may become ‘certifiably’ declared pure.  In the fourth year, after the fullness of the growing season, the fruit may then be sold as “organic” or “pure.”

 

Again, this is exactly what God is teaching in His Jubilee ‘provision principle.’  The people ask in Leviticus 25: 20-22:  And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:  Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.  And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.

 

The crop of the 6th year, the 7th year, the 8th year,  and then the crop of  the 9th year…is the crop of the fourth year from the 6th year ! 

 

Because we know that  701 b.c. was a 7th year, as well as a 49th year, and because the Bible tells us that it was the 14th year of King Hezekiah,” then we may properly assume that King Hezekiah came to power in a Sabbatical year, (716/715 b.c.).  Therefore, this dramatic ‘sign from God’ occurred on Hezekiah’s second Sabbatical year as Judah’s king !

 

Isaiah 37 is the retelling of this same historical event by the prophet.  Another very important fact emerges from his account:  verses 15 -17 say: And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.  And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.  Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God

 

King Hezekiah obviously “spread out the letter” before ‘The Ark of The Covenant.’ The time of this attempted invasion of Jerusalem bythe Assyrian’ in 701 b.c. is the last mention of ‘The Ark Of The Covenant” in the Bible !

 

In 1856, Benedict Zuckermann published a table of Sabbatical years in ancient times.  From his research he found that 331/330 b.c. was a Sabbatical year.  This may be quickly verified by again putting 2001, as a known majority 7th year, into a calculator and by merely subtracting consecutively by 7, one comes exactly to 330 b.c. as a majority sabbatical year, with its beginning in Tishri of 331 b.c.  As 330 b.c. is 2,331 years (2331 divided by 7 = 333) from 2001, or 5761, it can be known that 331 b.c. was Jewish year 3430 (3430 divided by 7 = 490).

 

According to the Roman historian, Josephus, Herod besieged Jerusalem during the spring and summer of a Sabbatical year (Antiq., bk. 14, ch. 16, sect.2) He says, “This destruction befell the city of Jerusalem when Marcus Agrippa and Caninius Gallus were consuls of Rome on the hundred eighty and fifth Olympiad.” The 185th Olympiad began in July of 49 b.c. and ended in June 36.b.c.  From the majority Sabbatical year of 27 a.d., Jewish year 3787, back to 36 b.c.  consecutively, is 63 years,  meaning 36 b.c. was indeed a majority Sabbatical year, and was Jewish year 3724.  Historical annals document a famine in Jerusalem in that year !

 

According to Associates For Scriptural Knowledge, in appendix 4: Part 2- ‘The Sabbatical Years and Chronology”: 

  1. We are told by 1 Maccabees 6:49, that Judas Maccabee’s defeat at Beth-Zur was in a Sabbatical Year.  And this can be dated to the Sabbatical Year from the autumn of 163 to autumn 162 B.C.E.  (by counting back consecutively from majority Sabbatical year 27 a.d. Jewish year 3787,  one will come straight back to 162 b.c. which was the majority Sabbatical Year, 189 years back from 27 a.d. which made that year Jewish year 3598, which divides equally by 7. )
  2. A papyrus document written in Aramaic has recently been found in Palestine which is dated to the second year of Nero, and it says that that year was a Sabbatical Year.  Thus, CE 55 was Sabbatical.  (C.E. 55 is 28 years from 27 a.d., Jewish year 3787.  55 a.d. was Jewish year 3815, according to the Aish Luach Calendar. ) [End of quote]

 

1882 a.d. was Jewish year 5642.  That year began the first modern day Aliyah(return) back to the land of Palestine!  1882 was a Sabbatical year, and 18 Sabbatical cycles later, “the humble and repentant chosen of Israel will have begun to bear fruit in the fourth year!”

 

How wonderful of Palmoni, the ‘Wonderful Numberer’ to allow such historical dates to be made known, in order that the believing Jew and Gentile could have a benchmark date which would always enable the “counting of their days.”

 

When the Bible student stands back and looks at an ‘over-view’ of the biblical history of the nation of Israel, there is an extremely important point to see:  Because of unbelief and failure to keep and observe His commandments and laws, the Lord as the Judge, of the house of Israel and the house of Judah has imposed legal ‘sentences of time’ against both houses.

 

The Lord first established a “day-for-a-year” principle in Bible prophecy in Numbers 14:34.  God punished Israel by withholding or delaying their inheritance of the Promised Land.  This happened because they refused to believe God, choosing instead to believe the evil report of the ten spies.  “After the number of the days in which you searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know My breach of promise.”

 

The next example of this principle is found in Ezekiel 4:6: “And when you have accomplished them, lie again on your right side, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days; I have appointed you each day for a year.”  Ezekiel was required to lie on his left side for 390 days (to represent a siege against Israel) and 40 days on his right side (to represent a siege against Judah).  As verse 6 plainly shows, each day represented a year.” 

 

There is a hidden puzzle in the text above…If one adds the 390 days for Israel to the 40 days for Judah, the total is 430 days.   Note that in Exodus 12:41, the Lord released Israel from their bondage by Egypt…”And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” 

 

Also, if one subtracts the 70 years of Babylonian captivity out of the total of 430 years, the result is 360, the number of days in the Jewish year. 360 days x 7 years = 2,520 days, the number of days in the 7 years of Tribulation.  In the 490 years of Daniel’s ’70 weeks’ prophecy, there are 176,400 days (490x360) and 176,400 days divided by 70 is the figure 2,520 days.   The number ‘40’ which stands for ‘testing’ also divides equally into ‘these number of days.’

 

This plainly shows how these legally imposed “sentences” by God against the nation of Israel and of Judah, because of their failure to completely obey His statutes and commandments, have always prevented them  on entering  into their “full promises of blessings.”  The Egyptian bondage, Jeremiah’s prophecy of the Babylonian captivity, Ezekiel’s prophecy of ‘laying on his sides,’ Daniel’s ’70 weeks’ prophecy and the 7 years of Tribulation are all connected together and interrelated to each other by their mathematical factors.  Therefore, they all are a type of ‘telescoping prophecy’ which point to the “assessed time of necessary judgment” which must take place prior to the beginning of the nation of Israel’s Kingdom of David, and the full-outpouring of the Lord’s blessings upon them as a nation!

 

Because the house of Judah failed to observe their every-seventh year for a period of time, God dictated that Judah be captured by the King of Babylon and taken out of the land in exile for a period of seventy (literal) years in order….”To fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.

 2 Chronicles 36:21

 

At the end of Judah’s ‘sentence,’ note very carefully what is said in Jeremiah 29:10-14:

 

For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.”

 

And then note what happens to the ‘King Of Babylon’….in Jeremiah 25, in the textual context of the END of the judgment against the nation of Babylon and ALL the nations of the earth…upon completion of the 7 years of Tribulation….in verses 12,13 and 26:

 

And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. And 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 hath prophesied against all the nations…And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.” [ The New Jerusalem Bible renders: ‘and the king of Sheshach shall drink last.”]

 

The point is this:  The prophecy of the ‘seventy years’ of the Babylonian exile is a telescoping prophecy, as in the near term, the house of Judah was indeed expelled from Jerusalem for 70 literal years607.5 b.c. to 537.5 b.c.  But, as can be clearly seen from the above texts, even though that King of Babylon was indeed removed as their captor, God’s desired outcome for His people was not fully achieved (as He well knew before the fact) upon their return to the land,  as they did not seek the Lord with all their hearts.  In Nehemiah we are told many of the men immediately ‘mixed their seed’ with the wicked, pagan women of the land and the offspring even forgot how to speak in their own Hebrew tongue.  Indeed, the Lord’s full desire for His people Israel will not be obtained upon the earth  until  after the final judgment, repentance and restoration of the present generations that will be left alive at the END of the time of Tribulation and the return of  Jesus Christ to the Earth when the FINAL KING OF BABYLON, THE ‘ASSYRIAN’ WHO WILL BE THE ANTICHRIST, the false prophet and all wicked nations are finally destroyed, and Satan is bound in the bottomless pit !

 

Another very important proof of the time of the finality of ‘the King of Babylon/the Assyrian,’ is at the END of the Tribulation, is found in Isaiah 14: 3-7  which speak to a time when only the specifics of this verse could be completely satisfied:

 

And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

 

Therefore, from the Lord’s viewpoint, the “70 YEARS” prophecy of Jeremiah is a ‘telescoping prophecy’ of the historical, overall time that the nation of Israel would be out of their truly  ‘restored land after true repentance,’ that of the millennial  Kingdom Age with their Y’shua Messiah as King, as the ‘Branch out of Jesse.’

 

While remembering that the 7 years of the Tribulation take place under the return to the dispensation of Law, at the beginning of Daniel 9, we find the prophet engaged in a study that thousands of Bible students have undertaken from that time forward, indeed, even we today.   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.” Here, Daniel is referring to Jeremiah’s near  fulfillment of his ’70 (literal) years’ of the Babylonian captivity which were coming to an end at that time.  Of course Daniel himself, fell victim to this captivity.  As stated before,  the reason for this captivity was because of Judah’s failure to keep some sabbatical years and God again assessed a time frame against them in which the land of Judah could rest and make up her sabbaticals, since the law of sabbatical was mainly mandated to accomplish “ rest for the land.”

 

Daniel then begins to confess his sins and the national sins of the nation of Israel.  Please note this line in Daniel 9: 11:Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.”

 

In Leviticus 26, the Lord through Moses, gave national Israel a set of conditional  blessings and curses.  Israel’s blessings were contingent upon IF…3: “ If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then…” and  Israel’s curses were contingent  upon another IF14:But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandment;  then…” 

 

By carefully counting the curses, beginning with verse 15 thru verse 39, there are 49 curses written down against the nation of Israel.  Daniel was asking for the Lord’s forgiveness of the nations’ multiple sins in transgressing the Law of Moses, which had fulfilled the Lord’s promise to heap all 49 curses upon their heads!

 

Because of this humble prayer for national repentance and the fact that Daniel sought the face of the Lord for his own nation while pleading with Him in verse 19:   “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name”… Daniel was given the very important revelation  beginning with verse 24, of the ‘seventy WEEKS of years,   which is 70 x 7 years  equaling 490 years, in which the last ‘week’ of 7 years is called “Daniel’s 70th Week.”

 

A Hebrew researcher, Ben Zion Wacholder writes in his paper titled, “Chronomessianism, The Timing of the Messianic Movements and the Calendar of the Sabbatical Cycles,” Hebrew Union College Annual 46 (1975, pp 202-204) that  the Hebrew word for “week” in Daniel 9, is used in Jewish writings to refer to Sabbatical cycles.  He also provides references to ancient Jewish commentators who felt that the 70 weeks of Daniel were 70 Sabbatical cycles.

 

Just like in the previous prophecies above, the numbers given here are meant to be recognized as 70x7, or  490 literal years, and  the ‘numbers’ given for the fulfillment of this  prophecy are  directed to a ‘certaingroup of people ONLY,   those  of Thy people, Daniel, ” the redeemed of the Jews.

 

This mathematical riddle of “the seventy weeks” has intrigued both Bible scholars and students from the beginning.  There is barely a portion of Scripture which has formed the basis of more opinions and writings than that ‘certain’ prophecy.   The point of view of this writing is based upon simple truth revealed by the old Biblical adage, “precept upon precept, line upon line.” In the beginning, ‘The Numberer’ revealed that His total plan of Redemption for man is contained within ‘seven.’ 

 

Likewise, ‘The Numberer’ revealed in the book of Daniel that Israel’s  FINAL prophetic time for the completion of God’s plan is contained within ‘seventy times seven,’  which is composed of 10 Jubilee cycles of 49 years, totaling 490 years.

 

Just as the days of the week and the notes of the musical scale, after seven comes ‘new beginnings,’ which is symbolized by the numbers of ‘8  and ’50,’ which both then become the ‘first’ of a new seven, representing  eternity! 

 

Since this profound prophecy targets Thy people Daniel,” is it any wonder that the Holy Spirit has framed the puzzle in a cycle of70 sevens?’  This should immediately alert the Bible student  that the key to proper understanding of this ‘riddle’ is based upon the nation of Israel’s Sabbatical cycle, which was and is an integral part of her national history from beginning to end !

 

From the Creator’s viewpoint, the interrelation and importance between the number seven and the principle of the Sabbath cannot be overstated.  See what He said about it in Exodus 31: 13-17 about the Sabbath DAY

 

Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done;  but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.KJV

 

But, the Creator also commanded that national Israel must keep a Sabbath YEAR for the land.  Leviticus 25:2-4 says…

 

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.  Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD…”

 

Therefore, when we properly place the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 within Israel’s Sabbatical cycle, all becomes clear!

 

Here again, are the words from the KJV, of this most crucial prophecy for nation of Israel and the end-time world:  (formula:  one ‘week’ equals 7 years, a SABBATICAL CYCLE):

 

Seventy weeks  (7x70=490 years) are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, (1) to finish the transgression, and (2) to make an end of sins, and (3) to make reconciliation for iniquity, and (4) to bring in everlasting righteousness, and (5) to seal up the vision and (6) prophecy, and to (7) anoint the most Holy.  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, (7x7=49 years) and threescore and two weeks: (7x62=434 years) the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  And after  threescore and two weeks ( including the previous 7 ‘weeks’, for a total of 69 ‘weeks’ which equals 483 years) shall Messiah  (the anointed one) be cut off, (at the Cross) but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come (the Roman army/and the antichrist and his armies) 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. (until the end of the 7 years of Tribulation)  And he (the antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: (7 years)  and in the midst of the week (on the 1290th day)  he (the antichrist) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, (to the end of the 7 years of Tribulation) and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

 

Please note the very important points of this ‘riddle’:

 

1:         The first paragraph lists the 7 essentials  necessary to God the Father’s plan  to provide the legal remedy of man’s sin problem, and to “finish the Law”…first of the Jew and then of the Greek,” which only His Son, the Lamb of God could accomplish by His death on the Cross.  These seven elements MUST be completed  within  the final 70th week i.e. the final 7 years of the prophecy!   Seventy weeks are determined to……”  (the word “determined” is Strong’s #2852, which means:  decreed,” “be settled,” “be marked out”)

 

2:         The ‘70 weeks’ are to commence with the decreeto restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” not to rebuild the Temple, not to rebuild the Wall.

 

3:         The total time frame of ’ 70 weeks, or 490 years is broken up into five parts: 49 years, 432 years, equaling 483 years,  the  3.5 years (of Jesus’ministry)  and the final 3.5 years (of Jacob’s Trouble)

 

4:         The Messiah is to be cut off AFTER  the fulfillment 483 years, AFTER  the ‘69 weeks have been completed.

 

5:         The antichrist makes his covenant for his 7 years of the Tribulation.

 

6:         The antichrist breaks his covenant with “the many” of Israel on the 1290th day, according to Daniel 12:11 and Matthew 24:15.

 

7:         Desolations are poured out upon Jerusalem and the world until the end of war, i.e. until the end of the seven years of Tribulation.

 

It is so important to note again, that Gabriel told Daniel very clearly that ALL the elements of this prophecy MUST take place WITHIN  THE 70 WEEKS of the prophecy, NOT  OUTSIDE  the 70 weeks.  This is a point that has been fairly ignored in the past.  The angel is careful to say that the Messiah shall be cut off AFTER the 69 weeks which we know is 69x7 sabbatical cycles or  AFTER  483 years.   The title “Messiah” means ‘anointed one’ and Jesus was anointed at His Baptism.  He was ‘cut-off’ “but not for himself,” at the Cross. The prophecy says Messiah would appear AFTER the end of the Sabbatical year,  AFTER the ‘69th week’ of 70 Sabbatical cycles, AFTER the 483rd year ended in Tishri of 26 a.d.   But Tishri 1 of 26 a.d. also began the next Sabbatical cycle, which was the opening of the last 7 years of Daniel’s prophecy!  Jesus’ ministry began the opening of the ‘70th week’ and He began to fulfill  the first half of the ‘70th week  beginning in the spring of 27 a.d.  which also began to fulfill the first 3.5 years of the next Sabbatical cycle. 

 

INSIDE the ‘70th week’ means that the count of years was clearly continued on from the 483rd year until Messiah’s “cutting off” at the end of the  486.5th year, at the Cross!

 

 This is the ONLY way to fulfill the statement ….”seventy weeks are determined…” in order to provide for the first 7 essential elements as the legal remedy of sin which were necessarily justified at the Cross, INSIDE  the ‘70th’ week of the prophecy! 

 

At the Cross, in the MIDDLE of the 7 year Sabbatical cycle, at the 3.5/4th  position,  God also  cut-off  the ‘count of years’ at year 486.5 of the total 490 years…

 

which leaves THE LAST 3.5 YEARS OF DANIEL’S ‘70TH WEEK’ to be fulfilled as ‘THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE   for the REDEEMED REMNANT of Israel, during the first half of the Tribulation.

 

As God STOPPED the count of the 490 years in the MIDDLE of a Sabbatical cycle, the count MUST  then BEGIN in the MIDDLE of another Sabbatical cycle. 

 

But  hold on…. the ending year of ‘Daniel’s years’ is the  490th year, which  means the final year of the prophecy must not only be in a 7th year but also will be a 49th year,  which will be the 490th year.

 

Therefore, the 490th year of Daniel’s ‘seventy sevens’ MUST OCCUR IN A SABBATICAL YEAR !

 

But not JUST in any Sabbatical year, but at the end of a 49th year, which  then will be followed by the opening of the 50th year, the JUBILEE YEAR.   

 

Now, we can see the overlay of the beautiful Hanukkah Menorah come into view, with its two added candles just before the advent of the Christian era!

 

Israel’s present Sabbatical cycle began with year 5761, which began on Tishri 1, 2000,  and will end on Elul 29, 2007, Jewish year 5767.  The next Sabbatical cycle will open on Tishri 1, 2007, and that will be Jewish year 5768, which will be a Sabbatical year and more importantly, will begin not only the next 7th year, but also will begin the 49th year and the 490th year of  ‘Daniel’s ‘70th week(s).’ 

 

This 7th/49th/490th year will end on Elul 29, 2008, Jewish year 5768,  which will  then END Daniel’s ‘70th week(s)’  and will end the total 490 years of the prophecy. 

 

On Tishri 1, 2008, Jewish year 5769 will open, and on Tishri 9/10, on the Day of Atonement, the Jubilee year or the 50th year will open, (which will be year 1 of the next 49).  More will be written about this later.

 

The Sabbatical of 2008, 5768, which will close ‘Daniel’s 70 weeks,’ will be the 8th Sabbatical cycle from the first Sabbatical in l952, after Israel was brought ‘back into her land in l948!  1948.5,  the spring of l948, was the exact MIDDLE position between the Sabbatical of 1945 until 1952.

 

The Sabbatical of 2008, 5768, will the 9th Sabbatical from the ‘release of captivity‘ by the Nazis in the Holocaust in l945, a Sabbatical year. 

 

These  9 Sabbatical cycles”  in themselves, form a type of a “Hanukkah Menorah” !

 

The ‘middle’ Sabbatical of that “Hanukkah menorah” was the Sabbatical of l980!  In July of l980, the Israeli Knesset adopts a new basic law, “Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel.”  It arouses international disapproval.  The U.N. Security Council passes a resolution calling on all nations to remove their embassies from Jerusalem. The vote was 14-0, with the U.S. abstaining. In October Israeli President Yitzhak Navon makes a successful visit to Egypt.  Navon is the first Israeli head of state to visit an Arab country.  His welcome by Anwar al-Sadat is carried live on Egyptian radio and television.

*A Greek scientist by the name of Meton, around 440 b.c. discovered that 235 lunar months exactly makes up a 19 year solar cycle.  This cycle has been named the ‘Metonic cycle,’ upon which the Greek calendar was based until 46 b.c. when the Julian calendar was introduced.  The study of the cycle was extended by a man named Callippus and the cycle then became known as the ‘Callippie cycle.’  It was upon this 19 year cycle that the rabbis constructed their 7 leap years by adding an additional month after Adar, known as Adar II, which was needed to justify the Hebrew calendar and keep the feast days in their proper months.  After the completion of the l9th year, this cycle adds an Adar II month in the 3rd year, the 6th year, the 8th year, the 11th year, the 14th year, the 17th year and the 19th year.  Please note the 11th year falls in the MIDDLE of this 19 year cycle. 

 

* According to “The Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar” by Arthur Spier, the next Sabbatical year, 5768, which will begin on Tishri 1, of 2007, will fall in the MIDDLE of the present Metonic cycle, as the 11th year in the cycle of 19 years.

 

The nation of Israel’s next sabbatical year will fall in the MIDDLE of the 19 year lunar Metonic cycle !

 

* According to “The Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar” by Arthur Spier, page 20, the author tells about the 28 year sun cycle, called the Great Cycle’ or Mahzor Gadol, whereby every 28 years,  on the equinox, the Sun is in the same position to the earth as it was on the day of  Creation!  Year 2009 will be the next ‘28th year’ on the Great Cycle, and on April 8, 2009, ON A WEDNESDAY, in the MIDDLE of the week (on the day it always falls every 28 years),  Nisan 14!   April 8, 2009, would be the appointed day the Jews would pray the “Kiddush Hahammah,” the blessing of the sun which is recited on Tekufath Nisan, every 28th year. The prayer praises God as the Creator of the universe and especially of the sun, in a special blessing.

 

In Judaism and in science, ‘28 days’ represents the human  fertility cycle’ as well as the  lunar cycle.’ 

 

Talk about “the order” of “THE WORD OF CREATION,” the “ALPEH AND THE TAV” !  At the close of the year of Daniel’s 70th week,  at the opening of the nation of Israel’s next Jubilee year in 5769,  the symbol of the nation of Israel and the Church, as ‘the lesser light’ which is only a ‘reflector of the Greater Light,’ stands in the MIDDLE of 19 years, and in the 50th year of Jubilee, after the closing of the God’s imposed sentence of the last 490 years, for the redeemed Jew only, the SUN/SON returns to HIS position of equinox as ‘HE’ was on the day of Creation, as “the Greater Light!”

 

The total assessed time in this prophecy for  THY PEOPLE, DANIEL,” is 490 years.  The term, “thy people  refers to the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation remnant of Jews that will turn and believe that Y’shua is their promised Messiah.  This is the reason the Two Witnesses are ONLY present on earth during the first 1263.5 days, the FIRST half the Tribulation.  They have been sent to instruct and point the way to Y’shua, as the Messiah-Redeemer of Israel, for the believing Jewish remnant until the END of Daniel’s 490th year !  

 

Again, the Bible is very clear to tell us the Tribulation period is 7 years long, which totals 2,520 days.   It is divided into two sections of 42 months and 42 months, or 1260 days and 1260 days.  Therefore, only  the first half of the Tribulation, the first 3.5 years is ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ for the REDEEMED REMNANT OF ISRAEL. Since God stopped the count in the middle of a Sabbatical cycle at the 486.5th year, He will THEN pick up the count in the middle of the ‘70’th  Sabbatical cycle for the remaining 3.5 years, which will then end in the 490th year,  in a Sabbatical Year!

 

The LAST 3.5 years of the 7 year of Tribulation, according to Luke 21:24 and Revelation 11:1 is called ‘the times of the Gentiles,’ and will begin  the GREAT and TERRIBLE DAY OF WRATH upon all the remaining unbelieving Jews and unbelieving Gentile nations.  This also begins the time that the ‘beast’ and the false prophet have been given their authority, ONLY for the remaining 42 months of the total 84 months of the Tribulation. 

 

The “times of the Gentiles” is OUTSIDE  Daniel’s ‘70 Weeks.’

 

This is why in Revelation 10:11, John the Revelator is clearly told to ‘prophesy AGAIN,’ out of ‘the little book’ which message is directed to…   And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.This statement clearly is directed to the Goyim, the remaining wicked, Gentile nations who are still alive at the MIDDLE of the Tribulation !

 

The term “times of the Gentiles” is not to be confused with the term “fullness of the Gentiles” which refers to the Church Age, the Age of Grace, which will have come to a close BEFORE the Day of the Lord opens and BEFORE the time of the Tribulation. Romans 11:25:  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

 

The question now arises how can we know for certain what date begins Daniel’s prophecy of the ’70 weeks.’  Gabriel’s first words say:  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem

 

Because of the recognition of the Sabbatical cycle pattern in this prophecy, the year of this decree can now be easily established. 

End of Part One.

Miriam Howard

November, 2004                                                                                                                                                                 

miriamhoward@bak.rr.com