70 weeks

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OLd Sage

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[I also am not sure how you could be so sure of your Jubilees when no one is sure of the Jubilee Dates/years not even the Jews from what I have read there are a couple differnt ideas about this. But no one can really be sure. And yes I agree about the shortening but the timing of the week isnt shortened the tribulation itself is shortened.]By faith in what God said, in Lev. 25:2-4, 26:34-35, 42-46; Deut. 30: 19-20; 1 Peter 1:7-14. And while Apocryphal* Scriptures refered to a Book of Jubilee's none was ever found, until in 1947 as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls.*Apocrypha writtings were in use and read by Christians, up to the Reformation, see Jude 1:9, a quote from the book, The Assumption of Moses; verses, 14-15, a quotation from the Book of Enoch.I would also like to point out, that the Biblical scholars appointed by the Roman Catholic Church, to examine the Dead Sea Scrolls, of the Jewish Essenes sect, kept them for forty years from examination by Protestant biblical scholars, why? The Essenes at Qumran, is a topic for later discussion.Peace !Old Sage
 

kkboldt

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Ok, i'm sorry for posting again but i have alot of questions! Why would God make a prophecy, stating there are to be "70 weeks" and then just break off after 69 weeks with no indication of how long this break is to be? Are there any other instances in the Bible where time frames are given like that and then there are arbitrary breaks in the middle? I'm leaning towards believing the 70 weeks have already happened as it makes little sense to me that the last week would be separated by 2000+ years. Also, it says in the middle of the week sacrificed would be abolished...and Jesus accomplished that. And Jesus did also in a spiritual sense fulfill "everlasting righteousness etc" by His resurrection. But as i've said, i'm new to this so please feel free to enlighten me to your view points!thanks,Liz
Hi Liz,After many years of study and meditation on this, the answer is, IMHO, there is no "break" in the time period. So, you're right, it doesn't make sense to me either.How do we know this? There is a clue to this in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 18.Matthew 18:21-22 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."Why did Jesus say 70x7? Let's think about that. Could it be 70 (weeks) x 7 (one week) is 490? What does the number 490 signify? Well, that happens to be the number of years from the time of the prophet Daniel's prophecy to the first coming of Jesus in the flesh. This was "the times of forgiveness or end of sins" that the prophet Daniel wrote about. When were our sins forgiven? When Jesus came and died on the cross, right? If that doesn't raise your eye brow, then let's look at what the prophet Daniel wrote to see if this is true.Daniel 9:24-27 "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.Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."---------------From the time Jesus was born to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was 70 years. The Romans sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and set up a statue of Jupiter in the "holy place", where the "Holy of Holies" once stood. That is the "abomination of desolation" that Jesus speaks of that "will stand in the holy place" when he told his disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem.The seven days, is the "holy week", the time when Jesus was crucifed. Note above, "the Messiah is cut off", signifying Jesus's death.After the Romans destroyed the Temple along with the Holy of Holies, they caused the "sacrifices and oblations" to cease. Why? Because there was no Temple to do the sacrifices in. But Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice anyway. When Jesus died, there was a great earthquake, and the veil of the temple was broken in two. The mercy seat was split in half. This is why Jesus said, "it is finished". The sacrifice was finished. He completed his task of the final and ultimate sacrifice.Now, note, when Daniel was given this prophecy in Babylon, the Jews had NOT returned to the land of Judah to build the SECOND Temple yet. So this prophecy has to do with the SECOND temple, NOT a future 3rd temple as the "futurists" want us to believe. It is this SECOND temple that was built in "troublous times". And from that time to the first coming of the Messiah was 490 years or 70 x 7.This alone should be proof to the "futurists" that this has ALREADY taken place.I hope that helps.Kim
 

Jordan

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Apr 6, 2007
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Ok, i'm sorry for posting again but i have alot of questions! Why would God make a prophecy, stating there are to be "70 weeks" and then just break off after 69 weeks with no indication of how long this break is to be? Are there any other instances in the Bible where time frames are given like that and then there are arbitrary breaks in the middle?I'm leaning towards believing the 70 weeks have already happened as it makes little sense to me that the last week would be separated by 2000+ years. Also, it says in the middle of the week sacrificed would be abolished...and Jesus accomplished that. And Jesus did also in a spiritual sense fulfill "everlasting righteousness etc" by His resurrection. But as i've said, i'm new to this so please feel free to enlighten me to your view points!thanks,Liz
Hi Liz,After many years of study and meditation on this, the answer is, IMHO, there is no "break" in the time period. So, you're right, it doesn't make sense to me either.How do we know this? There is a clue to this in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 18.Matthew 18:21-22 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."Why did Jesus say 70x7? Let's think about that. Could it be 70 (weeks) x 7 (one week) is 490? What does the number 490 signify? Well, that happens to be the number of years from the time of the prophet Daniel's prophecy to the first coming of Jesus in the flesh. This was "the times of forgiveness or end of sins" that the prophet Daniel wrote about. When were our sins forgiven? When Jesus came and died on the cross, right? If that doesn't raise your eye brow, then let's look at what the prophet Daniel wrote to see if this is true.Daniel 9:24-27 "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.Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."---------------From the time Jesus was born to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was 70 years. The Romans sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and set up a statue of Jupiter in the "holy place", where the "Holy of Holies" once stood. That is the "abomination of desolation" that Jesus speaks of that "will stand in the holy place" when he told his disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem.The seven days, is the "holy week", the time when Jesus was crucifed. Note above, "the Messiah is cut off", signifying Jesus's death.After the Romans destroyed the Temple along with the Holy of Holies, they caused the "sacrifices and oblations" to cease. Why? Because there was no Temple to do the sacrifices in. But Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice anyway. When Jesus died, there was a great earthquake, and the veil of the temple was broken in two. The mercy seat was split in half. This is why Jesus said, "it is finished". The sacrifice was finished. He completed his task of the final and ultimate sacrifice.Now, note, when Daniel was given this prophecy in Babylon, the Jews had NOT returned to the land of Judah to build the SECOND Temple yet. So this prophecy has to do with the SECOND temple, NOT a future 3rd temple as the "futurists" want us to believe. It is this SECOND temple that was built in "troublous times". And from that time to the first coming of the Messiah was 490 years or 70 x 7.This alone should be proof to the "futurists" that this has ALREADY taken place.I hope that helps.KimUh, no, the Abomination of Desolation has not yet come. Abomination of Desolation is Satan. I still have not yet seen Satan (fallen angel) claiming to be God yet.
 

kkboldt

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Uh, no, the Abomination of Desolation has not yet come. Abomination of Desolation is Satan. I still have not yet seen Satan (fallen angel) claiming to be God yet.
What Bible verses do you have to support this "assumption". Where in the Bible does it say that the "abomination of desolation" is Satan? According to Jesus in Matthew, chapter 24, the abomination that maketh desolate "stands in the holy place". What and where is the holy place?You must have something in mind, do you not?And did not John say, "even now there are many "anti-Christs"? Back then, many were ALREADY claiming to be the Christ. As well as throughout the whole of history. How do you explain that?How will you know then who is Satan if you cannot identify him in the other false Christs?Kim
 

Jordan

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Apr 6, 2007
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Uh, no, the Abomination of Desolation has not yet come. Abomination of Desolation is Satan. I still have not yet seen Satan (fallen angel) claiming to be God yet.
What Bible verses do you have to support this "assumption". Where in the Bible does it say that the "abomination of desolation" is Satan? According to Jesus in Matthew, chapter 24, the abomination that maketh desolate "stands in the holy place". What and where is the holy place?You must have something in mind, do you not?And did not John say, "even now there are many "anti-Christs"? Back then, many were ALREADY claiming to be the Christ. As well as throughout the whole of history. How do you explain that?How will you know then who is Satan if you cannot identify him in the other false Christs?KimThere is many AN anitichrist, in order for that to happen, there has to be a main Anti-Christ. THE Anti-Christ. Which he started and tempt Eve in Genesis 3. Satan is THE Anti-Christ and he is going to claim to be God. (Ezekiel 28:2, Ezekiel 28:6, John 17:12, II Thessalonians 2:3-4)
 

logabe

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Many people do not attempt to verify prophetic dates by known secular history, and consequently, prophecy is often misunderstood. For instance, in figuring the dates of Daniel's 70 weeks, they often start with the ending point (or what they believe it to be) and then work backwards to the beginning of the 70 weeks. In doing this, they fix the beginning of Daniel's 70 weeks arbitrarily without proving it from verifiable history. By this method, they take their understanding of prophecy and force it upon history. They think they are doing God a service by upholding the Word; but in reality, they are only upholding their understanding of the Word. Because of this, they end up attempting to rewrite history to fit their own understanding of the Word.This method is a travesty, first because they confuse the Word with their personal understanding of it; and second, because history cannot be changed by your view of prophecy. History can only be changed by new data that is discovered.The most honest method is to study history first, because history is nothing less than fulfilled prophecy. Once we know how and when events took place, then history itself verifies the true interpretation of the prophetic Word. It would be foolish to retain a view of prophecy that is plainly contradicted by verifiable history. Yet that is done more often than not these days.After the captivity of Jerusalem, the prophets date their prophecies according to the years of the reigning Persian monarch. It is obvious that God fully intended that we use secular history in our understanding of prophecy, particularly Daniel's 70 weeks. Archeologists have unearthed enough evidence to establish the reigns of the Persian kings and can cross-check them with the dated events of other nations, each having its own calendar. For instance, historians can find events that are recorded in both the Persian and the Greek calendars. If the same event is dated by two calendars, then we know how those two calendars relate to each other, and all other events on those calendars may then be correlated.Logabe
 

logabe

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I was brought up a good dispensationalist, as many others were. I read many theories attempting to explain the timing of Daniel's 70 weeks. When I finally read Adam Rutherford's book, Bible Chronology, as part of my study of timing, I began to see how my beliefs were not based on viable historical data. I began to see that key dates had been manipulated to make it turn out according to biased understanding. It began to dawn on me that we needed to adjust our understanding to fit the facts, not adjust the facts to fit our understanding of the Bible.In other words, prophecies should be understood in light of how they were actually fulfilled in history. History is fulfilled prophecy.The plain fact of history is that Daniel's 70 weeks (490 years) began in 458 B.C. with the decree of Artaxerxes I, and it ended 490 years later in 33 A.D. with the crucifixion of Jesus. In other words, the crucifixion occurred at the end of the 70 weeks, not in the middle of the final "week," as I had been taught. So let us take a closer look at Daniel 9:24-27 now in the light of the history already presented.24 Seventy weeks [70 rest year cycles, or 490 years] are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. 25 Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [7 rest year cycles, or 49 years] and threescore and two weeks [62 x 7 = 434 years]. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off. 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. . .Daniel's prophecy tells us that "the sacrifice and the oblation" would cease in the midst of the final week of years (26-33 A.D.). This turns out to be the fall of 29 A.D., specifically, the Day of Atonement of that year, when Jesus presented Himself to John for baptism.We usually assume that the crucifixion ended the Old Testament sacrificial system, and most certainly, it did mark the full end of sacrifice insofar as the Christian is concerned. The priests continued sacrificing in the Temple for another 40 years, until the Temple was destroyed by the Romans. Thus, it is obvious that Daniel's prophecy spoke only from God's perspective about the efficacy of those sacrifices and oblations. No sacrifice after Jesus' presentations had any relevance to the sin question. The midst of Daniel's 70th week marks the time of Jesus' baptism, when He presented Himself as the [Lev. 16] true Goat. Jesus later presented Himself as the true Lamb at Passover of 33 A.D., marking the end of Daniel's 70 weeks.These are the two great days in which Jesus presented Himself to the Father as the Sacrifice for sin. The first was a legal death, when He "died" by means of baptism. The second was His actual death on the Cross. We will talk a little more aboutthis in the next post.Logabe
 

logabe

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There are two great works of Christ to be considered here, not just one. Those who understand the law of the two goats (Lev. 16) and compare it with the law of the two doves needed to cleanse the lepers (Lev. 14) will understand how this works. Both the first goat and the first dove were killed; while the second goat and the second dove were released alive. The first was a death work; the second a living work. These form the basic foundation of the two works of Christ in His two "comings."Jesus came the first time to die, and we are expected to "die with Him" daily. He comes the second time alive, that we who have died with Him might also live with Him.But while these things are all very important for our overall understanding, we must limit ourselves to a discussion of Daniel's 70 weeks. Jesus was "cut off" after the 62-week period, as Daniel 9:26 indicates. This cutting off actually worked out in two stages: His baptism, and His crucifixion. I believe that this iswhy Daniel's prophecy is worded the way it is. Daniel does not say that He would be cut off in the midst of the 70th week. It merely says He would be "cut off" after the 62-week period, after 26 A.D. Thus, He must be "cut off" during the final week of years, 26 - 33 A.D.So the Messiah was indeed cut off, but it took place in two stages: the first at the beginning of His ministry in the fall of 29 A.D.; the second at Passover of 33 A.D.Nonetheless, Daniel 9:27 talks about this final week and pinpoints the midst of this week as the time when the sacrifice and oblation cease. History shows that God was talking about His baptism, not the crucifixion. In the eyes of God, the sacrifices and oblations (at least those performed on the Day of Atonement) became irrelevant at that point, for now the True Goat had been presented to God.The fact that the Temple priests continued to offer sacrifices and oblations long after this date is of no consequence to us. It is not what men do, but what God accepts that is important. Sacrifices would not actually cease for many years, but in the eyes of God, that era had ended in 29 A.D. Hebrews 9:12-14 says,12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?The usual theory is that "the clock stopped," either at the beginning of the 70th week or in the middle of it, and will be resumed at some point in the future. These views become irrelevant, once we see that Jesus was indeed crucified at the full end of the 490-year period. Jesus' baptism in the midst of the week did not stop any time clocks. Furthermore, Daniel 9:27 is not talking about an "antichrist" who will put a stop to modern Temple sacrifices in Jerusalem at some future point. It is talking about what happened at Jesus' baptism. Jesus is the One who put an end to the sacrificial system. And Jesus is the One who confirmed the New Covenant with many during that week from 26-33 A.D.Nearly the entire concept of modern Dispensationalism is based upon a faulty knowledge of history. The beginning points of Daniel's 70 weeks are manipulated without regard to actual Persian history that is conclusively established by astronomy. The dates are manipulated in order to make Jesus' crucifixion date fit their view of prophecy. They have Him crucified in the middle of the 70th week, in order to "stop the clock" and push the final week or half-week into the future. To make matters worse, the view then mandates the re-establishment of animal sacrifices on the old Temple site, as if God would have any regard for them. This view tramples on the blood of Christ and makes void His Sacrifice. Christians have no business dabbling in such a view. My tolerance for other viewpoints is greater than average, but not when they begin to undermine the blood of Jesus and its effectiveness for sin. This is basic to Christianity itself.Modern Dispensationalism also does not understand the concept of Blessed Time. They seldom relate it to Jesus' statement to Peter in Matthew 18:21-22 about forgiving "seventy times seven" times. We can hardly blame them for not knowing how the principle of Blessed Time works, because this appears to be a new understanding not revealed in the past. Yet it is clear now that Blessed Time, as well as Judged Time and Cursed Time, are all cycles of forgiveness-grace periods, during which time God "forgives," withholding judgment for sin. Once we understand this, we can see that the purpose of the 70 weeks of Daniel was to bring us to the Cross, when God called the world into the Divine Courtroom and reckoned the account for the whole world. The whole world was found carrying an insurmountable debt to sin; but that entire debt was placed upon Jesus Christ, who paid it in full by His death on the Cross. If He had done this before the end of the seventy weeks (such as in the middle of the final week), He would have violated His own principle of Blessed Time, when judgment is deferred by grace 490 times. Thus, Jesus' statement to Peter lays down an important principle that is not only a moral command to us, but also a prophetic law that God Himself reveals to us by personal example.Logabe
 

Christina

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[I also am not sure how you could be so sure of your Jubilees when no one is sure of the Jubilee Dates/years not even the Jews from what I have read there are a couple differnt ideas about this. But no one can really be sure. And yes I agree about the shortening but the timing of the week isnt shortened the tribulation itself is shortened.]By faith in what God said, in Lev. 25:2-4, 26:34-35, 42-46; Deut. 30: 19-20; 1 Peter 1:7-14. And while Apocryphal* Scriptures refered to a Book of Jubilee's none was ever found, until in 1947 as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls.*Apocrypha writtings were in use and read by Christians, up to the Reformation, see Jude 1:9, a quote from the book, The Assumption of Moses; verses, 14-15, a quotation from the Book of Enoch.I would also like to point out, that the Biblical scholars appointed by the Roman Catholic Church, to examine the Dead Sea Scrolls, of the Jewish Essenes sect, kept them for forty years from examination by Protestant biblical scholars, why? The Essenes at Qumran, is a topic for later discussion.Peace !Old Sage
I certainly do agree with that I know they kept Dead Sea Scrolls to them selves as long as possible Would love to have a discussion on the Essenes sometime. One of my great interests.
 

JosyWales

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I have a novel idea. Perhaps the Bible actually MEANS WHAT IT SAYS.Allow me to point something out.Daniel 8 states that the time of trouble will last 2300 days.If you take all the days listed in Revelation (1810 days) and add 70 weeks (490 days) you get exactly 2300.Since 1260 of those days (the 42 months of the Beasts rule) are cross referenced 3 times to indicate that they are indeed days and not weeks of years or anything else, then the rest of it must be days as well. Add that to the fact that if fits perfectly and it seems to be more than coincidence.It’s also interesting that the days do not start to be listed in Revelation until the 5th Angel indicating that the 70 weeks come before that.It works out like this:5th Angel : 5 months (150 days using the interpretation of a month equaling 30 days each, which is used in the cross reference of the 1260 days). Revelation 9:5-66th Angel: an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year: (396 1/4 days, plus 1 hr) Revelation 9:157th Angel: 42 months (1260 days) Rev 12 and 13Time the 2 prophets lay dead: 3 1/2 days Rev 11:11Add it up and you get 1809 and 3/4 days plus one hour, which rounds off to 1810 days.Daniel 9 speaks of 70 weeks (490 days)Together they make 2300 days as is exactly prophecied.This means that NO PART of the 70 Week prophecy has occured yet and it is yet to happen. The reason these people here are trying to stand on their heads and jump through hoops to make this prophecy fit their theology is because they are trying to plug Jesus into the equation when the prophecy of Daniel 9 is actually concerning Michael, whom Daniel 12 and Revelation 7 states is going to fight Satan and the Beast during the last times.I have little care if you believe me, but you will see with your own eyes when the time comes, for the time is short.
 

Jordan

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I have a novel idea. Perhaps the Bible actually MEANS WHAT IT SAYS.Allow me to point something out.Daniel 8 states that the time of trouble will last 2300 days.If you take all the days listed in Revelation (1810 days) and add 70 weeks (490 days) you get exactly 2300.Since 1260 of those days (the 42 months of the Beasts rule) are cross referenced 3 times to indicate that they are indeed days and not weeks of years or anything else, then the rest of it must be days as well. Add that to the fact that if fits perfectly and it seems to be more than coincidence.It’s also interesting that the days do not start to be listed in Revelation until the 5th Angel indicating that the 70 weeks come before that.It works out like this:5th Angel : 5 months (150 days using the interpretation of a month equaling 30 days each, which is used in the cross reference of the 1260 days). Revelation 9:5-66th Angel: an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year: (396 1/4 days, plus 1 hr) Revelation 9:157th Angel: 42 months (1260 days) Rev 12 and 13Time the 2 prophets lay dead: 3 1/2 days Rev 11:11Add it up and you get 1809 and 3/4 days plus one hour, which rounds off to 1810 days.Daniel 9 speaks of 70 weeks (490 days)Together they make 2300 days as is exactly prophecied.This means that NO PART of the 70 Week prophecy has occured yet and it is yet to happen. The reason these people here are trying to stand on their heads and jump through hoops to make this prophecy fit their theology is because they are trying to plug Jesus into the equation when the prophecy of Daniel 9 is actually concerning Michael, whom Daniel 12 and Revelation 7 states is going to fight Satan and the Beast during the last times.I have little care if you believe me, but you will see with your own eyes when the time comes, for the time is short.
HalleluYah! Amen x 2
 

logabe

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I wrote that Daniel's 70 weeks had two startingpoints: 458 and 445 B.C. To identify these datescorrectly is critically important in order to know the end points properly.These dates are the 7th and the 20th years of Artaxerxes. See Ezra 7:8 and Neh. 2:1. In order to understand the fulfillment of Scripture, we have no choice but to look at historical records outside the Bible. When we do, we find that these important dates are established by lunar eclipses in the reign of Darius the Persian, who reigned 36 years from 521-486 B.C.Ptolemy, an Egyptian astronomer recorded many years ago that there was a lunar eclipse in the 20th year of Darius and another in his 31st year. Well, modern astronomers can pinpoint those eclipses easily. They occurred on Nov. 19, 502 B.C. and April 25, 491 B.C. This establishes by a double witness the years of the reign of Darius the Persian.Once we know this, history shows that his successor, Xerxes, reigned 21 years from 485 to 465 B.C.Artaxerxes then took the throne, and his first year was reckoned by the Persians as 464 B.C. Thus, his 7th year was 458 B.C., and his 20th year was 445B.C. The vast majority of historians are in agreement with this. Thus, the 70th week of Daniel fell from 26-33 A.D. when Jesus ministered and was finally crucified.It is my contention that Jesus was crucified in 33 A.D. Again, this has been the date that most historians have agreed when He was crucified. Many in the past century, however, have argued against this, because they have some doctrinal position to maintain. But if we look purely at the history and find out what happened, and then if we interpret Scripture accordingly with no biblical position to maintain at all costs, this is the simple truth--Jesus was crucified at the END of Daniel's 70 weeks.The greatest objection to this comes from those who believe that Jesus had to be crucified in the MIDDLE of Daniel's 70th week--that is, in the year 29 or 30 A.D. This view is based upon Dan. 9:26 and 27, where we are told that "after sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off." By this statement, if taken literally, He would have to have been crucified in 26 A.D., but this is much too early according to New Testament chronology, which I will discuss later.Dan. 9:27 also says "And He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week He will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering."Here again, modern Bible teachers confuse people by telling us that "he" refers not to Christ but to an Antichrist that will arise at the end of the age. But there is no historical, grammatical, or even biblical reason to make this the Antichrist. The fact is, Jesus was the Sacrifice, and, when presented, He put an end to the need for all other sacrifice.He presented Himself to John for baptism precisely in the midst of the 70th week of Daniel. John identified Him as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). As New Testament chronology shows, Jesus was baptized shortly after His 30th birthday in September of 29 A.D. This was precisely the middle of Daniel's 70th week.There are two events that were supremely important. First, Jesus' baptism in the middle of the week; and secondly, Jesus' crucifixion at the end of the week.I once assumed that Jesus had to be crucified in the middle of the 70th week. But when I studied the actual history, I found that this was not so. At the same time, I discovered that He could NOT have been crucified before the completion of the 490 years in 33 A.D., because that would have violatled the purpose of a 490-year period.In Matt. 18:21 Peter asked Jesus, ". . . How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"Jesus responded with, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." That is, 490 times.Logabe
 

logabe

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In my early years, this only had a superficial meaning to me. But when I began to study the Jubilees and cycles of time, I found that Jesus was giving us the underlying purpose of Daniel's 70 weeks. It was a forgiveness (grace) cycle. The nation was forgiven once a year on the Day of Atonement, when the High Priest killed a goat and brought its blood into the Most Holy Place to atone for the sins that had accumulated under the altar during the previous year.God forgave the nation once a year. So how long would it take before God's obligation to forgive ended? Well, 490 years, of course. Hence, Jesus immediately told Peter a parable explaining this principle in Matt. 18:23-35. It begins,"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents."In other words, this illustrates the principle of forgiving 490 times, and then bringing the slaves, or servants, into accountability to settle the debts. All sin is reckoned as a debt in Scripture, and so a number of Jesus' parables reflect this.In the case of the crucifixion, it occurred after the nation had been forgiven 490 times (years). Only then did the King settle the debt of the whole world at the cross. This is the purpose of Daniel's 70 weeks. This principle would have been violated, if Jesus had been crucified early, say, after 486 or 487 years (the middle of the week).This is why the crucifixion happened in 33 A.D., not in 30 A.D. Jesus presented Himself to John for baptism in September of 29 on the Day of Atonement, which was ten days after His 30th birthday (Feast of Trumpets). In doing so, He was making the statement: I am the true Goat that covers the sin of the nation on this day. I am the fulfillment of this Sacrifice and all others as well.If you read the account of His baptism in Matthew 3 and Luke 3, what did Jesus do immediately AFTER His baptism? Matt. 4:1 says,"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."He did this in order to fulfill the other half of the prophecy of the Day of Atonement. The instructions for this day are given in Leviticus 16." (7) And he [the high priest] shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. (8) And Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat [lit. for Azazel, 'the satyr, or the devil']."Jesus fulfilled both goats. The first was to be killed to atone for the sins of the people. Jesus presented Himself as that Goat to John, the priest, and then He was led into the wilderness to be tried by the devil, even as the second goat was led into the wilderness "for Azazel."The actual historical events tells us how to interpret the type and shadow of the Old Testament in regard to these goats. His baptism was His LEGAL death, followed later by His ACTUAL death on the cross. But as the second goat, Jesus had to be led into the wilderness, as we read in Lev. 16:21,"Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel . . . and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness."Who was this "man" who led Jesus into the wilderness? It was ultimately fulfilled by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 4:1), who released Him in the wilderness.This tells us that Jesus fulfilled the Day of Atonement at His baptism in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel.Logabe
 

logabe

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The timing of Daniel's 70th week (26-33 A.D.) and Jesus' crucifixion are explicitly linked together by Daniel's prophecy. Likewise, because Jesus said in Matthew 18 that the purpose of a 490-year period is to bring into accountability, Jesus had to be crucified at the end of that 490-year period.The question is, can we prove that Jesus was crucified in 33 A.D.? Yes, we can. This date, of course, followed the general consensus of historians for many years until challenged in more recent years. One of the reasons for their dissatisfaction is that according to popular thinking, Jesus was born in 4 B.C. and crucified in 33. That would have made him 36-1/2 years old when He died, rather than 33-1/2. Since He was baptized at the age of 30 (Luke 3:23), that means He would have ministered for 6-1/2 years, instead of 3-1/2. Something is wrong with that point of view.Jesus was born on the Feast of Trumpets of 2 B.C., not in 4 B.C. He could not possibly have been born in 4 B.C., even by the evidence set forth by past historians. Jesus' birth is not recorded in history books, because it was a non-event to the historians of the day. His birth is dated according to the death of Herod, who died about a month after killing the children of Bethlehem.Josephus tells us that Herod was nearly 70 years old when he died. Antiquities XVII, vi, 1 says,"And as he despaired of recovering (for he was about the seventieth year of his age), he grew fierce and indulged the bitterest anger upon all occasions."He confirms this again in Wars of the Jews, I, xxxiii, 1, where he says, "for he was almost seventy years of age."Historians also know that Herod was 25 when he began his career in 47 B.C., when his father appointed him governor of Galilee. Thus, Herod was 70 in about 2 B.C.Josephus also tells us that a few weeks before Herod died, there was a lunar eclipse visible from Jerusalem. This is what pinpoints Herod's death, because astronomers know precisely when every lunar and solar eclipse occurred throughout the past. In this case, the historians had a number of eclipses to consider.Nov. 8, 8 B.C. (too early, since Herod was only 62)March 23, 5 B.C. (too early, since Herod was only 65)Sept. 15, 5 B.C. (too early, since Herod was only 65)March 13, 4 B.C. (This is where past historians have placed the eclipse that occurred shortly before Herod's death. But he was still only 66 at the time.)July 17, 2 B.C. (Herod died two or three months before a Passover, so this is the wrong time of year, since it would place his death in September or October.)January 9, 1 B.C. This is the one we are looking for.Nov. 8, 2 A.D. (Herod would have been 73, so it is too late, and it is also the wrong time of year.)The assumed date of Herod's eclipse was on March 13, 4 B.C. If Herod died shortly after that date, then how is it that Jesus could be born the following September? If dead, Herod, would not have been able to kill the children of Bethlehem. If anything, Jesus would have had to be born the previous September of 5 B.C. But this only compounds the problem of the traditional historians, for then Jesus would have been 37-1/2 when He was crucified.The only feasible eclipse is the one on January 9, 1 B.C., which occurred a few months after Jesus was born on Sept. 29, 2 B.C. Herod was 70 years old, and he died a few weeks after the eclipse.When Jesus was born on Trumpets of 2 B.C., the local shepherds came to see him that night (Luke 2:16), while they were still in the stable. Three months later the wise men arrived from afar, and this was when Herod was alerted to His birth and became alarmed at the prospect of a rival king. The wise men found them in a "house" at this point (Matt. 2:11).That night, both Joseph and the wise men were warned in dreams (Matt. 2:12, 13) about Herod, and so then Jesus was taken to Egypt for His protection. He was three months old, even as Moses had been three months old when he was taken into Pharaoh's house for his protection (Ex. 2:1). Jesus is compared to Moses in Acts 3:22, 23.The wise men must have arrived at the end of December of 2 B.C., giving rise later to the Christmas tradition on Dec. 25. Their only fault was that they assumed the wise men had arrived along with the shepherds at the time of Jesus' birth. Logabe
 

logabe

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Jesus' birth is also dated by early Christian writers. According to W. E. Filmer, who wrote an article proving Jesus was born in 2 B.C., "there were, before the year 500, no less than ten Christian witnesses who agreed on the year in which Christ was born." These witnesses include Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Eusebius, "the father of Church History."If Jesus was born in September of 2 B.C., then in what year did He turn 30? Many people would do the math and say, "28 A.D." (because 28 + 2 = 30). However, it is not quite that simple. When our present calendar (using B.C. and A.D.) was invented in 526 A.D., they were still not using the number ZERO. Thus, mathematicians had to move from -1 to +1 without benefit of the zero. And chronologists had to figure from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. directly, instead of counting -1, 0, +1, +2, etc.That means Jesus turned 30 in September of 29 A.D., and He was 33-1/2 in April of 33 when He was crucified at Passover.Another cross-check is from Roman history itself, because John's ministry began "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" (Luke 3:1). John was just six months older than Jesus, and, as a priest, would have begun his full ministry at the age of 30, even as Jesus did. So John began His ministry around Passover of 29, and Jesus came to John for baptism in September of 29.Tiberius began his reign when his father (Augustus Caesar) died on August 19, 14 A.D. This is one of the most quoted dates in Roman history, because Augustus had died precisely 56 years after the beginning of his political career (Aug. 19, 43 B.C.). Thus, Tiberius' fifteenth year would extend from August of 28 A.D. to August of 29 A.D. and include the Passover of 29 A.D. when John began his ministry.So we may conclude that Jesus turned 30 years of age on the Feast of Trumpets in September of 29 A.D. Ten days later, on the Day of Atonement, He came to John for baptism to fulfill the law of Leviticus 16. The Spirit then led Him into the wilderness for 40 days, after which time He returned to preach the Kingdom of God.John was arrested a few months later and executed the following Passover (30 A.D.). That event began a 40-year countdown toward Passover of 70 A.D., when the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem and began the siege that destroyed the city.All of the time cycles work out perfectly, once we understand the history. The key is to understand the history--find out what actually happened--and then we will know how to interpret the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.Daniel's 70 weeks ended in April of 33 A.D., which was 490 years after Ezra began his mission to Jerusalem on the 12th day of the first month (Ezra 8:31). Jesus was crucified 490 years later on the 14th day of the first month at the time the lambs were killed for Passover.The date of Jesus' crucifixion is important, because it is the starting point of 40 Jubilees (1,960 years) toward the year 1993, when God began to bring history to a climax.Logabe
 

logabe

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Daniel's 70 weeks ended with the crucifixion. Of that there can be no doubt. The "clock" did not stop at the beginning or the middle of the week, in order to resume in the future. Those who invented this "gap theory" in the 1800's simply did not have a good knowledge of history.There has always been tribulation, and it is not limited to seven years, although there are many seven-year periods that are very significant.Likewise, the rise of "The Antichrist" is based upon a faulty understanding of the term. Many have been on an Antichrist Watch in the past 150 years, adding up the numeric values of men's names, with hundreds of candidates for that office. There was the German Kaiser of World War I, then Mussolini and Hitler. When they all were overthrown, men turned to other political figures such as Henry Kissinger and Prince Charles. Russian President Gorbachev is still a favorite antichrist, with his prominent birthmark on his forehead like the "mark of the beast."I have no desire to defend any of these men in any way, for they are all rulers of Babylon and not the Kingdom of God. But regardless of how evil they may be, none of them is "The Antichrist.""Antichrist" is not the same as "the Beast" in the book of Revelation. That is an assumption of the futurist view of prophecy. The "beasts" in the Bible are nations and empires, according to Daniel 7 and 8. The first "beast" was Babylon, pictured as a "lion" (Dan. 7:4). The second was Persia, the "bear" (Dan. 7:5). The third was Greece, the "leopard" (Dan. 7:6). The fourth was a nameless beast with "iron teeth," which, history shows, was Rome (Dan. 7:7).These form the biblical definition of "beast" in the Bible. The beasts represent nations characterized by the desire to eat other beasts (nations) in order to grow and expand. In other words, they are militaristic and have a desire to kill anyone getting in their way. Many of the rulers and high officials of Babylon have a beast's HEART, even as King Nebuchadnezzar was given in Dan. 4:16.As for "antichrist," only John uses the term, yet the word does not even appear in the book of Revelation. It appears four times in 1 John and once in 2 John. John tells us in 1 John 2:18,"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour."The "last days" technically began at the Cross, for that event had ended the Passover Age, which had begun with Israel coming out of Egypt at Passover. So from John's perspective in history, the Pentecostal Age was the "last hour." From our current perspective, of course, we are in the "last hour" of the Pentecostal Age.So it is not surprising that we would see many "antichrists" arise. The problem is that people are looking for a single powerful world figure to arise in the context of "the great tribulation." A fanciful picture has been painted about this antichrist that has blinded Christians to what is actually already happening around them. In large part, it is because they are still looking for Daniel's 70th week to begin, when, in fact, it was completed in 33 A.D.Logabe
 

logabe

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John describes "antichrist" in 1 John 2:22, 23,"Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also."John was referring to Jesus' statement that he had recorded earlier in his Gospel (John 8:19):"And so they were saying to Him, 'Where is Your Father?' Jesus answered, 'You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also'."The Jews had rejected Jesus, because they did not know the Father either. This is confirmed in John 16:3 and 17:3.In other words, those who rejected Jesus were the "antichrists" of the first century. John says further in 1 John 4:1-3 that any spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is that spirit of antichrist. In 2 John 7 we read,"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist."Here is John's clearest definition of "the antichrist." Primarily, it has to do with recognizing that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, come in human flesh. In the first century, this was a huge point of contention between the Jewish priestly leaders and the early Church. Thus, there were many antichrists, but "the antichrist" was the religious system surrounding the temple in Jerusalem. If there was any individual person that could be labeled as "The Antichrist," it was the high priest himself.At this point, we should define the Greek term "antichrist." As Jesus said in his parable in Matt. 21:38, "they said among themselves, come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance."In other words, they killed Him--not because they failed to recognize who He was, but because they recognized that He really was the Messiah, as His works proved. They killed him in order to usurp His throne. Thus, instead of hailing Him as King and setting up His throne in the Most Holy Place of the Temple, they lied to the people and crucified Him in order to enthrone themselves in the temple.The high priest, then, was the embodiment of the antichrist system, which ruled in place of Christ after usurping His throne. This was a replay of the story in the Old Testament, where Absalom usurped David's throne with the help of Ahithophel, David's friend who betrayed him. This time, it was Jesus who was overthrown by the priestly leaders with the help of Judas, who was called Jesus' "friend" in Matt. 26:50. The apostle Paul speaks of the coming "Day of the Lord," as a time when "the apostasy [apostasia, "the casting away"] comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed [unveiled; exposed], the son of perdition."This verse has been badly misunderstood. It is not referring to a religious apostasy as such, but the casting away of the bondwoman (Jerusalem-Hagar) and her son (Jews-Ishmael), according to what Paul said in Gal. 4:25-31. It is a reference to the priests of that day who usurped Jesus' throne with the help of Judas, the "son of perdition" (John 17:12).The Day of the Lord will see Jerusalem-Hagar cast out, which is the earthly Jerusalem. This will also expose the modern Judases who are helping to establish Hagar as the capital of the Kingdom of God and enthrone her children (Ishmael-Judaism). I believe, of course, that this Day of the Lord will see the destruction of Jerusalem by nuclear war, as described in Isaiah 29, 34, and Jeremiah 19.There are other manifestations of "antichrist" as well. Any person or system that usurps the authority of Christ is antichrist. But John and Paul were concerned with the antichrist in Jerusalem in their day.Logabe
 

logabe

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I mentioned earlier that Daniel's 70 weeks have two beginning points and two endpoints. The cycle began first in 458 B.C. when King Artaxerxes of Persia sent Ezra to Jerusalem in the 7th year of his reign. This cycle ended in 33 A.D.The second beginning point was in 445 B.C., which was the 20th year of his reign, when he sent Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This cycle ended thirteen years later in 46 A.D., when the Apostle Paul was commissioned (with Barnabas).I have already proven the beginning point of this cycle previously by Persian history, in which is recorded the two lunar eclipses establishing the dates of these monarchs' reigns. But can we prove that Paul's commissioning occurred in 46 A.D.? Yes, the New Testament shows us this.The Apostle Paul's original name was Saul, and he witnessed the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1), "consenting to his death." In fact, Saul then immediately took up the banner of persecution and made war against the Christians, whom he considered to be heretics and blasphemers. Paul wrote his own testimony of this in Gal. 1:13 and 14," (13) For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; (14) and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions."In 1 Thess. 2:14, 15 Paul speaks of what he knew from firsthand experience, saying," (14) For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, (15) who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men."Paul was converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) while on a mission to arrest Christians in that city. A bright light shined upon him, and he heard Jesus speak to him. Saul was also blinded at that moment, and so he was led by the others into Damascus, where he stayed in the house of Judas (Acts 9:11). Here Paul becomes a type of the blind church living in the house of Judas, a type of the betrayer of Jesus.Then God tells Ananias to pray for Saul, and Saul's blindness was healed on the third day (Acts 9:9). I believe this is prophetic of the blind church being healed on the third day, with a day being a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8).When word was spread that Saul had become a Christian, he had to escape from Damascus, because the persecutor was now the persecuted. He escaped to Arabia (Gal. 1:17), where he spent the next three years (Gal. 1:18). No doubt he went to Mount Horeb in Arabia (Gal. 4:25), for that mount is not in the Sinai peninsula, but in the land of Midian (Ex. 2:14) on the east side of the Gulf of Aqaba. (Moses tended Jethro's sheep, and Jethro was the priest in Midian--Ex. 2:15.)So no doubt Saul spent time contemplating the Word at Mount Horeb, today known as Jabal al-Lawz. (For a full proof of this, see Howard Blum's book, The Gold of Exodus, the Discovery of the True Mount Sinai.) This is where Saul received his revelation and understanding of the two covenants and the relationship between law and grace. He was taught by no man, not even the other apostles (Gal. 1:16, 17).After three years, Saul returned first to Damascus and then secretly to Jerusalem, where he met with the other apostles for the first time (Gal. 1:18), staying with Peter for 15 days. From there, Saul left the country, moving to Tarsus. He spent many years there, working as a "tentmaker" (probably making taliths, prayer shawls), as he matured in the word.I will finish this post tomorrow. Stay tuned.Logabe
 

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Meanwhile, there was something of a "revival" taking place not far away in Antioch. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas there to help and to obtain news. Barnabas then felt constrained to go to Tarsus to bring Saul out of obscurity to Antioch. Saul's testimony was felt to be important and valuable in the conversion of Jews in Antioch. Saul spent a whole year in Antioch (Acts 11:26) before the word of the Lord came through a prophet named Agabus that was to change Saul's life forever. Acts 11:27, 28 says," (27) Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. (28) And one of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius."The Christians in Antioch then sent contributions to Jerusalem ahead of time, anticipating this famine. The contributions were taken by Saul, Barnabas, and Titus. This trip to Jerusalem is dated in Gal. 2:1,"Then fourteen years after ["within fourteen years"--Wilson's The Emphatic Diaglott] I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also."When they returned again to Antioch, Saul and Barnabas were commissioned on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:2). Apparently, the same prophetic word that commissioned Saul also gave him a new name, for verse 9 says, "But Saul, who was also known as Paul. . ." From then on, the book of Acts calls him by a new name, Paul.In a nutshell, that is the story. Paul's commissioning came just before the great famine that took place in the reign of Claudius, the Roman Emperor who ruled from 41-54 A.D. This famine is mentioned by Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, XX, ii, 5,"Now her coming was of great advantage to the people of Jerusalem; for whereas a famine did oppress them at that time, and many people died for want of what was necessary to procure food withal, queen Helena sent some of her servants to Alexandria, with money to buy a great quantity of corn, and others of them to Cyprus, to bring a cargo of dried figs. . . And when her son Izates [the king] was informed of the famine, he sent great sums of money to the principal men in Jerusalem."According to the translator's footnote on this page,"But of this terrible famine in Judea, take Dr. Hudson's note here: 'This,' says he, 'is that famine foretold by Agabus, Acts xi. 28, which happened when Claudius was consul the fourth time, A.D. 47'. . . ."So Paul was sent to Jerusalem within fourteen years of his conversion (33-47) with contributions to help relieve the hunger of a famine that was to soon occur in 47 A.D. In other words, these events probably took place in the latter part of 46 A.D. When he returned, he and Barnabas were commissioned for divine service.This was precisely 490 years after Nehemiah had been commissioned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. In 46-47 A.D. Paul was commissioned to build the walls of a New Jerusalem. The timing is too perfect not to have some prophetic significance. And 40 Jubilees later brings us to 2006-2007. (40 x 49 = 1,960 years.)The year 2006 is also the 2,520th anniversary of the building of the second temple in the days of Ezra and Haggai. Thus, we are at the end of some long-term prophetic time cycles. Knowing this helps us to be watchful.Logabe