In Daniel’s ninth chapter, beginning at verse 24, the archangel Gabriel was sent to speak to Daniel. Now, Daniel was among the captives of Judah who had been taken to Babylon during the Exile and was one of the chief rulers in Babylon. In verse two, we learn that Daniel had recently “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 desolation of Jerusalem.”
In other words, the time of Judah’s captivity was almost at an end; it was nearly time for them to return to their beloved land and rebuild Jerusalem and its desecrated temple, which they subsequently did under Ezra, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah.
Daniel asks in prayer for understanding of what is about to happen. Gabriel comes upon the scene in verse 21. But instead of informing Daniel of immediate events, he gives the prophecy of the seventy weeks (verse 24):
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon they 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. (Verse 25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troubles times. (Verse 26) And after three score 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 desolation are determined. (Verse 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 abomination he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (or).”
Now first, let’s ask some questions about the above prophecy so that we may understand it more easily:
- What did the prophet mean by the term ‘weeks’?
- Whose commandment went forth “to restore and build Jerusalem’?
- When did that command go forth?
- Why the peculiar structure of the prophecy, viz. 7 weeks + 62 weeks + ‘after’ (verse 24) 62 weeks (which is the 70th week)?
- In which week would he “confirm the covenant with many” and was it integral, i.e. a continuous ‘week?
A) What did the prophet mean by the term ‘weeks’?
The historical lapse of literal weeks proved that weeks of seven days each were not meant by Gabriel. ‘Weeks’ as used here is the Hebrew word Strong defines it in his Hebrew Lexicon as meaning, literally `sevened’ — just `sevened’ —which, he says, means a seven of yeats, or seven years. Therefore, it is a week of years, or a `sabbath of years’ as is expressed in Leviticus 25:8.
So, in verse 25, the prophecy reads literally, “seven sevened and three-scored two sevened.” Taking Strong’s definition of seven years, the text now reads, “seven-seven years and threescore and two-seven years” or
The maths check, because 70 x 7 years is 490 years! Seventy ‘weeks of years’.
So, the prophecy of the 70 weeks has a total length of 490 literal years.
B) Whose commandment went forth “to restore and build Jerusalem”? and, C) When did that command go forth?
The prophet’s problem was, when does this 490 year period begin? And WE have the same problem; but it is easy to solve after the fact. There were THREE decrees given to “restore and build Jerusalem”. Our determination of which one was meant is made easier by knowing that 69 (i.e. 7 + 62) weeks of years were to elapse from that decree “unto Messiah the Prince” (verse 25).
The decrees were issued by
- Cyrus the Persian, in 533BC
- Artaxerxes Longimanus to Ezra the scribe, in 455BC
- Artaxerxes Longimanus to Nehemiah, in 442BC
D) Why the peculiar structure of the prophecy?
We believe that Gabriel has given to Daniel a subtle hint that this prophecy of the seventy weeks has to do with the jubilee cycle of 49 years each. Remember that the first unit of the weeks was seven weeks? And notice carefully that the period (490 years) of this 70 week prophecy was exactly ten jubilee cycles of 49 years each. This factor will come into play a bit later; keep it in mind.
E) In which week would he “confirm the covenant with many” and was it integral?
Remember that 7 +62 ‘weeks’ were to elapse “unto Messiah the Prince”. We must conclude that date to be when Jesus of Nazareth stepped forth from the crowd at the river Jordan to be baptized of John Baptizer, after which he was acknowledged by his father’s voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased”, Matthew 3:17.
At that point, he was publicly proclaimed as being ‘Messiah’, ‘anointed’. God’s own son: the anointed saviour. The date was 29AD.
If that was the end of the 7 + 62 weeks, and the beginning of the 70th week, that means 69 weeks had elapsed. 7 x 69 = 483 literal years. Going back to the dates of the decrees to restore and build Jerusalem, does one of these dates fit the prophecy? Yes! 483 years minus 455BC, leaves an apparent 28 year difference bringing us to 28 AD. But, since there is not a year designated zero BC (the years go from 1BC to lAD, skipping zero BC), we must add one year to 28 AD to correct the time lapse: so 29 AD is precisely 483 years after the decree of the Persian king Artaxerxes Longimanus to Ezra the scribe authorizing him to journey to Jerusalem with returning exiles from Babylon to rebuild the city and the temple!
Isn’t that incredible? Well, we shouldn’t be at all surprised, for that was the promise of the archangel Gabriel to Daniel!
Now, if this was the end of the 69th week of the 70 weeks, what about the span of the 70th week? Notice, Gabriel had foretold that after the 62 weeks (which followed the first seven weeks: in other words, actually after the 69th week) “… shall Messiah be cut off …” (verse 26). And in verse 27, he reveals that “He (i.e. Messiah) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” and repeats the fact that “in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”.
What does this last phrase mean? Well, it means that Messiah would suffer death (be cut oft) in the ‘midst’ of the week and by doing so would fulfil the law of Moses which required that numerous sacrifices and oblations be continually offered. Even though his contemporaries, the Jews of Judaea, did not receive or accept this fact, he proclaimed to his disciples early in his career, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (it)” (Matthew 5:16).
F) More questions. When did he offer himself?
It is common knowledge that Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted three and one half years: half of that 70th week. But there’s more!!
We stress, his earthly ministry, for some would have you accept that a long ‘gap’ followed in Jesus’ ministry and that the other three and one half years of that 70th week has somehow been transported to the days immediately in OUR future, when he is scheduled to return to the earth to ‘finish that ministry’.
I submit to you that this theory is clearly a product of Roman Catholic Jesuit ‘theology’. We believe it has no substance whatever in reality or truth. It is akin to the illusions advanced by the likes of Billy Graham, Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson, Jim and Tammy Bakker and such people in support of their beliefs in the ‘rapture’ of saints to heaven, seven years of tribulation, etc.
Let us comment upon how that wresting of scripture came about. A movement known as the Reformation arose in Europe following centuries of abominable, fiendish activities of the Roman Catholic clergy as it prosecuted with vigour and relish the Inquisition, sold indulgences (licenses to sin), perverted the word of God in endless ways, conducted the appalling Crusades to the Holy Land and persecuted and murdered the saints of God for 1,260 years in the most heinous and vile ways that anyone could imagine!
At this time translation of the scriptures into English and other of the common tongues of Europe was accomplished, but at very high risk to the lives of the translators. Some of the more astute reformers such as Wycliff, Coverdale, Bede, Tyndale and others came to recognize especially in the disturbing texts of Apocalypse 17 and 18, accurate depiction of the Roman Catholic system and its atrocious and inhuman philosophy and conduct. They began rightly to publish their conclusions utilizing the newly invented art of printing. The expositions they published hit the church very hard.
But the church did not sit still. Very serious persecution followed all the reformers. Many were burned at the stake by the Holy See for heresy and blasphemy! But they persisted in their godly activities and the reformation grew rapidly: resistance to the church and its teachings became widespread.
The serious nature of this movement got the attention of church zealots. Francisco Ribera became the apologist and publicist for a new Catholic group begun by Ignatius Loyola in 1534. That organisation went by the dishonouring name of The Society of Jesus — later referred to by the derogatory term, ‘Jesuits’.
The Jesuit movement was formed by special dispensation of the then current Pope and was under his special orders.
Loyola was greatly disturbed by the successes he saw in the Reformation. The Society of Jesus was formed to teach Catholicism to the common people (how many contemporary colleges in the USA alone can you locate the name ‘Loyola University’? — they are Jesuit institutions without exception), to recover to ‘the faith’ those who had been subverted by the reformers’ teachings and to build all possible bulwarks against the reforming movement. Its only purpose was to propagate the lies and heresies of Roman Catholicism and retain its hold upon the wealth, riches and souls of its holdings
Francisco Ribera was one of its foremost ‘scholars and was determined to find a way to ‘explain away’ the obvious linkage of many scriptural references including Revelation 17 and 18 with the Roman Church. In his crafty mind he devised a pretty neat set of myths to divert men from criticism of the church. His solution is now called ‘futurism’ or ‘preterism’ and was one which assigned most of the events of the Apocalypse to some yet future time when ‘the anti-Christ’ (sound familiar?) is supposed to appear on the scene, subvert the Jews, lead them to greatness for a while then turn on them and destroy them. This whole process is supposed to require seven years (two periods of three and a half years each) and is identified by most as the last ‘week’ of this seventy weeks prophecy — a theory which makes no sense at all in its overall context for several reasons!
Well, many contemporary commentators have fallen for Ribera’s skilful deception. Those who declare such things do so, as Jesus said, “not knowing (understanding) the scriptures.” They need to recognize the gross error of this wily Jesuit devotee to the Inquisition, the Virgin Mary and the Holy Trinity!
But what about that other half week’? Gabriel told Daniel in 9:27 that “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week”. He was crucified at the precise middle of the week … after three and half years. What about the other three and a half years?
Did not the Lord Jesus tell his faithful eleven on the mountain in Galilee, to which he had appointed them after his resurrection, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:16-20)?
Yes! He did promise that!
Did his ministry utilizing the gifts of the Holy Spirit not continue from the day of Pentecost and onward through those same apostles? If we examine the events of the next three and a half years after his sacrifice, what conditions do we find? Well, for one thing, persecution of the apostles and disciples became greater. But their personal teaching of Christ’s truth intensifies, for their’s is now the entire load to bear.
But the Christ was the driving force, the prime mover, the effective teacher. It was his teachings being passed on to his brethren the Jews through the apostles for much longer than 42 months after his ascension into the Most Holy. It was in reality his ministry continuing.
The sixty-ninth ‘week’ ended in 29AD, the precise year in which Jesus of Nazareth “began to be about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23). He emerged from the crowd at the river Jordan and submitted himself to baptism in that river by John Baptizer. This was the 483rd year of the prophecy: 4032AM. There were seven more years of the prophecy left to expire. After 3 and a half years, Jesus was ‘cut off by crucifixion: the date was 321/2 AD, or 4861/2 years into the prophecy. The latter half of that week elapsed as the succeeding months passed, bringing us to the date 36AD, which was the 490th and last year of the seventy weeks prophecy.
A simple calculation will show that the beginning year and the ending year of the 69th week (of years) were sabbatical years. The sabbatical count began in 2569AM. The decree went forth in 455BC, which was 3549AM. Subtract the earlier AM date from the later one and the difference is 980 years. Now, divide that number by 49 (the number of years in one jubilee period) and the result is 20. This tells us that the year of the decree was not only a sabbatical year but also the twentieth jubilee year from the beginning of the countdown! A most significant ‘checking’ factor, it tells us we are probably on the right rack. Now, remember, we noted earlier that the 490 years of the seventy weeks prophecy are exactly ten jubilees in length, as 490 divided by the 49 year cycle equals 10 or ten jubilee periods. The end of the 70th ‘week’ of this prophecy would be the thirtieth jubilee year in the entire scheme of the years of jubilee!
The seventieth week was critical. It began with Jesus of Nazareth’s submission to John’s baptism in the Jordan in 29AD. It progressed to his being ‘cut off in the midst of the week’ at Passover, 321/2AD. The final half of the seventieth week now began.
The Last Half of the Seventieth Week
Let us now focus on that latter ‘half week’ of this prophecy during which the apostles and disciples continued to “confirm the covenant to many”.
Remember please, that up to this time the gentiles were not directly taught the gospel by the apostles. It was left to the Holy Spirit to bring about this innovation, after which the initial work would be finished.
So now we come to the account of Peter at Joppa, in Acts 10. While on the roof top praying, Peter is shown a vision which is designed to teach him that the time has arrived when the gentiles are to be introduced to the truth of Christ directly. No longer shall they be required to become Jewish proselytes before they may be taught the gospel; they are to be approached ‘one on one’, directly.
The targeted gentile is a man of Caesarea “called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house …” (Acts 10:1, 2). You probably know the story well. His “confirmation of the covenant with many” is nearing the end of the 70th week. Bro. W.H. Carter’s chronology pegs the years 4039AD (36AD) in his book ‘Times and Seasons”.
This man beholds an angel in a vision at about 3.00 p.m. (about the ninth hour) who tells Cornelius to send men to Joppa, to the home of Simon, a tanner, where they shall find ‘Simon, whose surname is Peter” (verse 5).
Keep in mind, please, that Peter is here continuing in the name of Christ what God had ordained through Gabriel to “confirm the covenant with many for one week” after his appearing and baptism of John in the river Jordan in 29,AD. The statement “for one week” implies a certain sense of completion or culmination. The ensuing events, we believe, were that conclusion.
In brief summary, Peter accompanies the men to Caesarea (about 25 miles north ofJoppa); they arrive the next day. Cornelius is ready to receive
Peter’s “confirmation of the covenant” directly to himself, a gentile, when Peter arrives. In a short time God’s Spirit comes upon the centurion and his household, proving to Peter and those with him that –the Gentiles had also received the word of God,” as we learn from Acts 11:1.
The event is extraordinary; it is verified and authenticated by the recipients’ spirit gift of speaking in tongues. After much debate the elders at Jerusalem are constrained to admit that “God hath also to the gentiles granted repentance unto life”, (Acts 11:18).
The point of this is that Christ’s ministry did not cease upon his death, resurrection and ascension; there is no scriptural rationale for transferring the latter half of the seven year ‘week’ to some future time for completion. He had promises, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”.
His ministry did continue through the apostles and disciples of that day to accomplish the confirmation of the covenant; it continues in that mode through his believing brethren today, and shall continue through their agency until the final goal of redemption is reached … at the end of the seventh millennium. But the prototypical work was finished within the boundaries of that seventieth ‘week’ of the prophecy! He confirmed the covenant with many — ending with the gentiles— throughout that seventieth week. Bro. Carter points out that, “… the year 4039 which completes these 70 weeks was also a Jubilee Year — the 30th since Israel took possession of their inheritance.”
Thus the ‘day for a year’ principal in many prophetic matters is firmly established by the prophecy of the seventy weeks. It is one of several key prophecies in the scriptures supporting this fact.
Now, a large question remains: Were all the six stipulations of this prophecy (cf. Daniel 924) fulfilled during those 490 years? Read them again — that comprehensive list of accomplishments— all tightly cemented together with many repetitions of the and word! This is a figure of speech technically known as ‘polysyndeton’. Often used in scripture, it tightly links together several words or phrases, showing them to be closely associated provisions, yet distinctly separate from each other.
Upon review, we must surely admit that the provisions of the prophecy were not brought to pass in the fullest sense except in the person of the LordJesus Christ himself! Thus, theywere put in place; in his being made a beneficiary of their tenets their certainty of eventual fulfilment was established. But they shall not be installed in their glorious fullness until Messiah appears the second time to “bring in everlasting righteousness”.
In this beautiful prophecy we have a perfect illustration of the reason prophetic utterances were given. The Christ, in John 14:29, tells us:
“And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass ye might believe.”
In revealing key portions of His plan in advance, He strengthens and energies our faith during times of adversity and hardship. During the 490 years of the seventy weeks prophecy His people needed strength and comfort to carry them through the tumult, uncertainty, intrigue, treachery, rebellion, conspiracy, revolution and unbelief of the period. Especially did believers need His strength during the first portion of the 70th week in which the saviour of the world manifested Himself, ministered to His people and offered himself on their behalf on the stake at Golgotha!
And Now, a Larger Question
We must now ask whether there is some larger implication in this prophecy of the seventy weeks. We have hinted at a larger fulfilment in the text above. If the provisions of the utterance were not brought to pass in the fullest sense during the primary term of the prophecy do we have any indication as to when the provisions shall be put firmly in place? Yes we do!
Recall please, that the prophecy’s time provision was peculiarly structured as “seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks” and so forth. Recall how intimately connected its primary period (490 years) is with the year of Jubilee; and recall that it began and ended jubilee years. Recall too, the concreteness — the seemingly final character — of the six provisions of the prophecy, those associated by polysyndeton, which were put in place: “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.” Daniel 9:24.
Yes, most of those provisions were installed among men. They were invested upon one man. But they are at the same time prophetic of the time of their complete fulfilment in the whole universe of mankind, i.e. “from the river unto the end of the earth.”
Does the prophecy contain some hidden indication of when that time shall come? We believe it does contain such a concrete indication. And it is not hidden very far beneath the surface!
The Seventy Jubilees
The ‘seven weeks’ featured initially in the Revelation, and the other factors enumerated above, connect the prophecy with the sabbatical years. These are the basis of the jubilee years which, by definition, are each seventh sabbatical year beginning from the start of the count of sabbatical years. So, a year of jubilee marks the end of each week of weeks of years. A:week of years is seven years; a week of those is 7 x 7 years, or 49 years = one jubilee period.
The angel has said, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city”, Daniel!
Seventy weeks. No more, no less. We have seen how the primary prophecy applied perfectly to the coming of Messiah the first time to install the provisions of this prophecy. We have seen that their installation was concrete but limited to fulfilment in one man, the man Christ Jesus. They are evidently intended for application to the entire plan of our father, their provisions are obviously eternal in scope!
So please note an important feature of the prophecy: it is determined not upon one man, but upon thy people, and upon thy holy city. These six provisions are fundamental to the fulfilment of all God’s promises. They are primarily concerned with Daniel’s people, Israel, including Israel’s true Messiah, the Christ! They are therefore fundamental to the conveyance of this ruined, doomed, Adamic world into the glorious kingdom of God, with Yeshua Messiah sitting upon the throne of David, the nations at his feet, the righteous and redeemed saints by his side, the Jewish people (then redrafted into the bond of the covenant, as Ezekiel 20:37 proves) safely regathered into the land from every point of the compass and the millennial kingdom beginning among the fortunate inhabitants of the earth — a set of events that are comprehensive, supernatural and dead certain to happen!
At that time, the six provisions of the seventy weeks shall be further established toward the perfection that they portend which shall be fully realized at the end of the millennial reign of Christ. Let us briefly summarize each provision in the briefest of terms, realizing that each one is a giant building block in the administration of the Lord Jesus Christ and, as such, deserves much deeper consideration than we have space for here:
- `To finish the transgression”, is better translated to restrain Accomplished first by the Lord Jesus Christ within himself, restraint of transgression shall be a major feature of the kingdom age. Absolute restraint of transgression shall come when it is abolished along with sin and death and the eighth millennium of perfection begins.
- `To make an end of sins”, or sin-offering (the same Hebrew word). Though the Christ did no sin we realise that the potential for him to sin was present in him (Hebrews 5:7; 7:27; 9:24-28; II Corinthians 5:21). Though his presence did not end sinning, his offering of himself did bring to an end the sin-offering of the law, causing “the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”. At the end of the kingdom age, every aspect of sin shall have been abolished.
- `To make reconciliation for iniquity”, was accomplished in his death on the tree when he became wholly reconciled to his father and opened the way of reconciliation to all people. Complete reconciliation awaits the kingdom.
- `To bring in everlasting righteousness:” this quality was for the first time brought before the father in an human being, the Lord Jesus Christ. It, too, awaits his perfect administration of the kingdom.
- `To seal up the vision and the prophecy”. Although there is no ‘vision’ in this prophecy, the meaning is all such matters as pointed toward the establishment and perfection of the kingdom. Cf. Daniel 8, especially verse 13. The foundation was laid by Jesus’ faithfulness; but Christ’s outworking of “the vision and the prophecy” must await the kingdom age’.1
- ‘To anoint the most holy”, was in a sense fulfilled when the Christ pursued his ministry: at his baptism, at his transfiguration, at his crucifixion. He was an Holy One. But the people and the city were the primary objects of this prophecy. The people are firstly “the people of the saints of the Most High” of Daniel 7:27, but the concept includes security and primacy for Israel as well (cf. Zechariah 10-14 for starters, and all of Malachi!). Inseparable from the master, his saints and his subjects, is his “house of prayer for all nations” which shall be integral to the entire scheme, all of which comprise that promised, glorious Tabernacle of God with men (Apocalypse 21:3). We believe this is the Most Holy primarily intended and, as such, the only one of the six not really accomplished at his first coming.
Recognising all the above (and much, much more) we find that a much longer period than the primary ’70 weeks’ must be indicated namely, seventy jubilees. Remember, early in this discussion we noted that the sabbatical ‘count’ began in 2,569AM (1,435BC). Every seventh Sabbath year became the 49th year of the cycle and therefore the year of jubilee.
We now calculate the end of those larger ‘weeks’ that are “determined upon thy people and upon they Holy City”. The mathematics is super easy. A jubilee year coming each 49th year times 70 of these ‘weeks’ —49 x 70 = 3,430 years covers the entire period. Now, when did it begin? In 2,569AM. So,2,569AM (1,435BC) + 3,430years = 5,999AM, the end of the greater period of seventy weeks.
Now, 1,435BC to Christ = 1,435 of these 3,430 years. That leaves 1,995AD years to expire. We see clearly that the 5,999AM date is the same as 1,995 on the AD scale, the one we are more familiar with
Bro. W.H. Carter’s chronology, ‘Times and Season”, page 54-55, states: “Strictly speaking the period (of the 70th Jubilee) concludes in AM 6,000 because the last few days of the Jubilee Year fall in this year. (Remember, Tishri 1 is New Year’s Day; the Year of Jubilee starts on Tishri 10 and ends the next Tishri 9.) By reference to page 12 (i.e. of “Times and Seasons) it will be seen that AM6,000 will correspond with AD1996/7, which means that in AD1961 (the publication date of that work) we are within 36 years of the millennium; and in view of the tremendous programme which the returned Lord Jesus has to accomplish before his millennial reign can begin his return cannot now be long delayed. Well may we ‘lift up our heads’: equally well may we turn our eyes within, and enquire, ‘are we ready’?”
Some Notable Years of Jubilee in History
Bro. W.H. Carter, in his work, ‘Times and Seasons”, lists several exceptional events which occurred in various jubilee years. These are not conjectural occurrences but were arrived at by meticulous determinations of dates by means of lunar and solar eclipses which are accurately calculated to the very day by those with skill in astrophysical calculation, for in this present day the extreme precision of our solar system’s planetary revolutions about the sun and the moon’s revolutions about the earth is well known and documented.
Israel’s Sabbath Year count began with the Hebrew New Year fourteen years after they entered the land. That year has been calculated to have been 1435BC. Seven years from that date was 1428BC, their first Sabbath Year of rest in the land. Their first jubilee year would have been the 49th year (seven periods of seven years each) from that initial date, or 1386BC.
We could calculate every year of jubilee if we wished, and put them forth in a table for easy reference. But we actually only know of a few important events that occurred in a Jubilee year, so our table will consist of these notable jubilees only. But this list will serve notice that the calculations are doubtless accurate and that they appear to fulfil the father’s predetermined plan right up to our own day — and beyond!
Nine Important Jubilees
| BC | Jubilee | Event |
| 1435 | 1st | Beginning of the “major” seventy weeks countdown. |
| 1092 | 7th | Samuel becomes the prophet of God; transition from Judges to Kings. |
| 602 | 17th | Second year of Nebuchadnezzar: his dream of the image, depicting future history. Daniel promoted to ruler an high position in which to ‘father’ his people, and to comfort them. |
| 455 | 20th | Decree to Ezra to rebuild the temple; start of ‘minor’ seventy weeks. |
| 161 | 26th | Attainment of a degree of ‘liberty’ by Judas Maccabeus for Jews to practice their religion freely for a time. |
| 1848-9 | 67th | John Thomas’ publication of “Elpis Israel” heralds the reemergence of that ancient, blessed hope. |
| 1897-8 | 68th | World Zionist Congress, Basle, Switzerland: Dr. Theodore Herzl. |
| 1946-7 | 69th | United Nations Organization (UNO) partitions Palestine; Israel becomes a State and six months later the Jews regathering begins in earnest. |
| 1995-6 | 70th | End of the ‘major’ seventy weeks; end of man’s repudiation of his maker. The millennial kingdom of Christ begins at end of this year? |
To our mind, there could be no better correlation of the jubilees with significant prophetic fulfilment! Every event named above shows positive progression toward the glorious end that the father has ordained.. the establishment of His kingdom and coronation of His son upon its throne! It also illustrates concretely that our father is fulfilling His plan on a precise timetable and that it shall be fulfilled on His timetable!
Do you realise how infinitesimal is the blind chance of those nine events happening just in those jubilee years? My calculations show the enormously large number of one in 1,628 trillion! Or if you are more comfortable with it, one in 1.63 quadrillion. Or, if you please, one in 1,628 million million; or one in 1,628,000,000,000,000!! I don’t believe any rational person would claim that these happened by chance or accident. Not only does this brief list show simply that our father is a deity who can foresee the future perfectly (as He so insistently claims throughout Isaiah’s middle chapters) but that He can set up a plan and bring it off perfectly! On such a basis, how could we possibly doubt His prophetic utterances that lie yet in the future? Or His precious promises — or mercy?
The Solution