Bible Study Seattle

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 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; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” Daniel 9:24-27

This had literal fulfillment from 455BC to 36AD. But could it have fulfillment at the second coming? The vision includes making atonement. The Day of Atonement? Proportionally this is about the 527th year out of 1000. Harry Truman decided in 1946 to essentially creat modern Israel. 1946+490 is just past the 561st year out of 1000, the special eighth day of Tabernacles. Perhaps by then the most holy place will be rededicated (Ezekiel’s Temple)? The Balfour Declaration of 1917 meant to create a modern Israel, although it was not fully carried out. 1917+490 is 2407, or the 533rd year into the Millennium. This is just past the antitypical Day of Atonement. Notice also that in Daniel’s prophecy ‘it’s end will come with a flood’. Does this relate to, ‘the coming of the Son of Man will be as in the days of Noah’s (flood)’? Perhaps there is a contentious period near the end where antichrist will do huge battle, and Jesus will come down and stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14). There will be an enormous earthquake. All (who survive) will see this and bow the knee to Jesus, just as the Ninevites did at the preaching of Jonah (just after Uzziah’s earthquake)? This is speculative and not provable at this point, but fun to think about!

A good thought-provoking website is http://www.herealittletherealittle.net

Noah’s days on the ark include two periods of forty days:

“Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth.” Genesis 7:17

“Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.” Genesis 8:6-7

A forty day period starts the flood, and a forty day period starts at day 224. Why such detail? Most likely, this foreshadows events at the return of Jesus. The first period is most likely forty years leading up to WWI. The second period we don’t know since it is still future. But why did Noah release a Raven? Ravens are very intelligent scavengers. Furthermore, verse 7 says it flew around until the water was dried up. Does this indicate a cleanup process? WWI created a lot of death. Perhaps this second forty day period winds up with a large war? Armageddon comes to mind, but who knows?

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Mark 13:28-32

These events are likely quite future to us. The word translated ‘generation’ can also be rendered race. Could it mean that none die a second death until they see the Son of Man coming with the clouds? Many get hung up on the word ‘generation’. Some said 40 years after Israel was reestablished would be the second coming (1988). Some now say the second coming is 70-80 years after (2018-2028). 2028 is likely an important date, but it will disappoint as the second coming. Because of these prophetic failures, some will begin to mock, “saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:4

No one will know the day or hour so that none can draw attention to themselves, that they ‘figured it out’. God wants to use prophecy to draw attention to himself, and no other. Many prophecies aren’t exactly clear to keep us humble, and also to catch Satan unawares. God loves those that diligently seek after him and his plans. “Keep Asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

But certain details are withheld from us for our own good. Like the hour and day of our death.

Scriptures state that the saints are to reign with Jesus a thousand years. But we also have to remember that the Jubilee starts just past half way through the Sabbath year. Thus the Sabbath reign of Jesus expands into the Jubilee thousand year at Yom Kippur, the tenth of the seventh month. Thus you could say that the thousand year reign of Christ is actually at least 1500 years! This is the key to understanding certain portions. For instance, when Jesus answers the Sadducees about the resurrection, he is most likely talking about the Jubilee. He says,

“but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” Luke 20:35-36

‘That Age’ is referring to the Jubilee. This is at least 528 years into the Sabbath thousand year reign. He avoids talking about the first part of the Millennium, because babies will still be born in that time.

Does Firstfruits come after the high Sabbath or after the weekly Sabbath? That answer affects when Shavaot falls. Is this confusion on purpose? To keep us and Satan on our toes? If you hunt around, you will find people saying anything from Nisan 16 to Nisan 22 for Firstfruits. How about this:

“Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” Exodus 12:1-5

A lamb or goat?? But what about:

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.” Matthew 25:31-33

These goats are cursed and burned with the devil and his angels! Perhaps these are different goats than the Passover goats? Or how about this:

“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time. You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” Genesis 7:1-4

“Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood.” Genesis 7:7

“It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood came upon the earth.” Genesis 7:10

“So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the breath of life. Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed it behind him. Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth.” Genesis 7:15-17

Did the flood start immediately when Noah went into the ark, or after seven days? It’s a little vague. Perhaps there’s meaning to this, as Jesus was baptized, then died three and a half years later, then Cornelius (a Gentile) was baptized three and a half years later.