Daniel's 70-Week Vision Series #8 - Part 84 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

This study on Daniel's 70 x 7 vision is intended to demystify the true meaning of the numbers. For decades Christians have heard only one interpretation of Daniel's vision, which is not supported by the historical evidence. So the historical evidence provided in this series should peak the interest of a true seeker, who wants to understand the message given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel, and how it was intended for the Jewish people - all 70 x 7 weeks fulfilled by 70 A.D.

When we were last together we began to research what Moses and Jesus had to say about 70 x 7, and how this relates to Daniel's 70 x 7 vision - Genesis chapter 4. Since we extensively outlined what Moses had to say, this week we will research how Jesus used the common metaphor 70 x 7, and how it relates to Daniel's vision.

In Series #5-6 we explained the meaning of Daniel's 70 x 7 vision in detail as an ecclesiastical indictment upon Israel - a judgment on sin. In our research into what Moses said about 70 x 7 we found that 70 x 7 implies immeasurable vengeance on sin.

Our second reference in the Bible that refers to 70 x 7 is from the lips of Jesus Christ, which will help us solve the mystery of this common ancient metaphor. In this reference we find a conversation between the Apostle Peter and Jesus, where they are discussing the matter of forgiveness. Peter wanted to know if he should forgive seven times if someone sins against him.  Jesus answered saying...I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven...Matt. 18:22.

As in our Genesis reference, we can see that seven times implies measured or limited forgiveness. But Jesus uses the metaphor 70 x 7 to define the forgiveness He personifies - immeasurable. This decree He will sign with His own blood. His blood covenant of immeasurable forgiveness, defined by His death and resurrection, would supersede God's covenant with Moses in the Old Testament. When Moses instituted the blood of animals to atone for the sins of mankind, forgiveness was measured. How do we know?

In those days, a sin offering was characterized by sprinkling the blood of an unblemished animal in front of the veil of the sanctuary, where the presence of God dwelled. This blood was offered for atonement for the sins of the people - sprinkled by the priest seven times. Seven times symbolized that measured forgiveness was received from the Lord. Animal blood temporarily covered the sins of mankind, yet leaving the sinner with the fear of death.

When the sinless Lamb of God died for the sins of mankind, He took away the fear of death when He shed His blood for the sins of mankind.  If a sinner repents of their sins and receives Jesus Christ as his Savior, he becomes a new creation, old things have passed away, all things have become new. Jesus provided 70 x 7 forgiveness - immeasurable forgiveness forever.

Since numbers are used in Daniel's vision, there is a natural inclination to require a numerical calculation of years for the fulfillment of his vision. To do so would be incorrect. Both of the scripture references we have cited regarding 70 x 7 are metaphors relating to sin.  One reference describes God's immeasurable vengeance on sin, while the other reference describes God's immeasurable forgiveness for sin.

Daniel's 70 x 7 vision revealed that Israel would be given a determined period of time to surrender their allegiance to God.  We know by countless examples that Israel often strayed from God,  experiencing harsh judgment. The severe consequences drove them to repent which restored them to God's acceptance. But, within this specific decree, if they will not surrender their allegiance to God, the end of their nation would be the consequence of their faithlessness - idolatry.

Did you ever ask yourself, "When the metaphor 70 x 7 is used in Daniel's vision, why wouldn't it have the same meaning as when Moses and Jesus used the term?" Questions demand answers.

When the angel said to Daniel seventy times seven weeks have been determined upon the people, he is saying that 70 x 7 ecclesiastical weeks have been decreed upon sin - a religious judgment. Depending on the heart condition of the people - stiff-necked or remorseful - Israel will receive vengeance or forgiveness for their sins during this decree. This long period of time - over 500 years - will be Israel's final opportunity to surrender their allegiance to God alone, eventually through the Messiah, before their nation becomes a byword.

Until Messiah the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks...Dan. 9:25. What does this portion of Daniel's vision mean?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Daniel's 70-Week Vision Series #7 - Part 83 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

So far in this series the angel Gabriel told Daniel that...seventy weeks have been determined upon thy people, and upon the holy city, for sin to be ended, and to seal up transgressions, and to blot out iniquities, and to make atonement for iniquities, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy...Dan. 9:20-21 Septuagint.  The word determined means:  already fixed; settled.

We also have established that 70 weeks is described as 70 x 7 weeks. Seven weeks is an annual ecclesiastical celebration beginning with the Passover and ending with Pentecost on the 50th day. It lasts for 49 days - seven weeks - but referred to as one year - ecclesiastical year. In Aramaic this event is called a shaboa celebration. During this annual celebration the Jewish people remembered how God delivered them from Egypt, confessed their sins, and professed their belief in a coming Messiah - ending animal sacrifices for their sins. But the Messiah never arrived.

70 x 7 has an expanded meaning that we must research, if we are going to comprehend the profundity of Gabriel's message to Daniel.  In ancient times a common metaphor - 70 x 7 - implied immeasurable vengeance on sin - or - immeasurable forgiveness of sin.  Let's examine two references of this metaphor in the Bible. The first one from the Old Testament.

What did Moses have to say about 70 x 7?  Because vengeance has been exacted seven times on Cain's behalf, on Lamech's it shall be seventy times seven...Gen. 4: 24. We do know that anyone who killed Cain, a sevenfold vengeance would come upon that killer...Gen. 4:15. Sevenfold implies  measured vengeance. Even though he was of the lineage of Cain, why would Lamech declare a 70 x 7 vengeance upon himself?  

We do know that Lamech said...I have slain a man to my wounding, a young man to my hurt...Gen. 4:23.  The word young in Hebrew is yeled meaning:  born or begat. This implies that Lamech killed someone of the lineage of Cain - so would the curse of Cain come upon him?  What was the curse that came upon Cain?

God told Cain...now thou art cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand...when thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee...thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth...Gen. 4:11-12. 

Cursed means:  execrate - loathe; detest. Cain would become a vagabond - a fugitive - sent far from the family he knew, finally settling in the land of Nod, between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, and the land would no longer produce for him. What is the worst part of the curse? 

The only place I could find an accurate answer for this question was in the Septuagint. After God outlined His vengeance upon Cain, he lamented...my crime is too great for me to be forgiven...if thou castest me out this day from the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from thy presence, and I shall be groaning and trembling upon the earth, then it will be that anyone that finds me shall slay me...Gen. 4:13-14.

God did not deny that Cain's crime was too great to be forgiven, but He would not allow anyone to relieve his suffering by killing him. God told Cain...Not so, anyone that slays Cain shall suffer seven-fold vengeance...Gen. 4:15.  So God set a mark upon Cain so that no one would dare to kill him, because they would clearly understand if they did so, the curse of Cain would come upon them.

Flavius Josephus the historian said about Lamech, "Because he was skillful in matters of divine revelation, he knew he was to be punished for Cain's murder of his brother, which he made known to his wives." Lamech knew that Cain believed he could not be forgiven and a seven-fold - seven times - vengeance was his punishment. So why would Lamech pronounce a 70 x 7 vengeance upon himself?

The answer to this question is not clear. What we do know is that 70 x 7 implies immeasurable vengeance on sin. Since Lamech had full knowledge of the consequences of his sin in advance of his crime, whereas Cain did not, his crime was not only unforgivable, but would receive immeasurable vengeance - 70 x 7. Lamech would be hidden from God forever is the implication.

Animal blood sacrifices for the sins of mankind had not been instituted as yet, and the ten commandments had not been given by God.  Lamech had foreknowledge that his crime of murder would not be forgiven - thus God's vengeance would be immeasurable. As our research unveils these nuggets of revelation, Daniel's vision of 70 x 7 weeks will take on a clearer understanding.

What revelation did Jesus offer to His apostles regarding 70 x 7, and how does it relate to Daniel's vision?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Daniel's 70-Week Vision Series #6 - Part 82 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

When we were last together in this series, we found out the meaning of weeks in Daniel's vision of seventy weeks - 70 x 7 weeks.  The Jewish people annually celebrated the redemptive blood that saved them from the plague of death during their days in Egypt - the Passover Celebration. They confessed their sins and asked God for forgiveness during this celebration, while looking forward to a coming Messiah who would end animal sacrifices, by shedding His own blood to once and for all atone for the sins of mankind.

But the Messiah never arrived. As the centuries passed, the celebration of the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles eventually became merely perfunctory observances - an outward religious appearance, yet hearts were unchanged, because they continued to break God's commandments. Many people no longer believed a Messiah would ever come.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, He precisely summed up the condition of the hearts of the religious leaders, when He said...woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites...for you are like white-washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness...even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness...Matt. 23:27-28.

Jesus was confronting the religious leaders who led the celebration of the many feast throughout the year, beginning with the shaboa - the ecclesiastical year of seven weeks.  Jesus knew there was no faith in the hearts of these religious leaders, so how could their lawlessness lead the people to believe in the promises of God?

Because the Jewish people no longer believed the prophets who had faithfully prophesied the coming of the Messiah, their unbelief - hardened hearts toward God - became an indictment against them. What is an indictment? It is an accusation - charge of a crime.  Jesus accused the religious leaders of Israel of appearing righteous on the outside, but full of hypocrisy and lawlessness in their hearts.

If the religious leaders did speak of a coming Messiah, it was in the context that He would set up an earthly kingdom in Israel and overthrow the power of Rome. The people did like the idea of a physical Messiah that would set up a physical kingdom on earth and destroy their enemy - but this was not the truth.

Daniel was shown in his vision that seventy ecclesiastical years - 70 x 7 - were determined upon Israel. History has already documented that it took 527 years to fulfill this judgment - indictment - on their sin of doubt and unbelief, culminating with the war of 70 A.D. for rejecting their Messiah.  So we can clearly see that calendar years are not intended in the interpretation of the seventy weeks - 70 x 7 - vision.

The time frame for prophecy in the Bible is often measured symbolically by:  time, times, half-times, weeks, seasons, seed time or harvest. Each symbolizes a measurement of a cycle, a pronouncement, a judgment, or a decree with varied increments of calendar time.

Daniel's vision of seventy weeks - 70 x 7 - is divided into three measurements:  7 weeks, 62 weeks, 1 week. Each of these set of weeks is a religious judgment against Israel for their faithlessness. Now we can see that seventy shaboa - seventy ecclesiastical years - have been pronounced upon Israel because they celebrated the feasts without faith in their hearts - without faith we cannot please God. Unbelief is equal to idolatry. 70 x 7 is a religious indictment on sin, resulting in vengeance or forgiveness.

Seventy times seven - 70 x 7 - was a common metaphorical phrase used in conversation by ancient biblical societies, including the times of the apostles.  70 x 7 implies God's immeasurable vengeance on sin, or His immeasurable forgiveness of sin. Since this metaphor was commonly used and understood in ancient times, we find two references in the Bible.  The Apostle Paul said...by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established...II Cor. 13:1.

Can Moses and Jesus unravel the mystery of the 70 x 7?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Daniel's 70-Week Vision Series #5 - Part 81 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

When we were last together we read Daniel's prayer for God to turn away His fury from the city of Jerusalem, and let His face...shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate...Dan. 9:18.  God sent the angel Gabriel to answer Daniel's prayer. Their conversation will be quoted from the Septuagint Bible because of its accuracy. This is the Greek translation of the Old Testament published in Alexandria, Egypt 285-247 B.C.

Two years before Daniel and his people were released from 70 years of captivity, he was in prayer, repenting to God, when he says...while I was yet speaking, and praying, and confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel, and bringing my pitiful case before the Lord my God concerning the holy  mountain; yea, while I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen at the beginning, came flying, and he touched me about the hour of the evening sacrifice...Dan. 9:20-21.

Gabriel said to Daniel...at the beginning of thy supplication the word came forth, and I am come to tell thee; for thou art a man much beloved:  therefore consider the matter, understand the vision...Dan. 9:23.  Daniel's vision covers over 500 years reaching fulfillment in 70 A.D. which historians have fully documented.  Because Daniel 9:24-27 is gradually fulfilled over so many centuries we will study the details in increments - one portion at a time - beginning with Daniel 9:24.

Gabriel told Daniel...seventy weeks have been determined upon thy people, and upon the holy city, for sin to be ended, and to seal up transgressions, and to blot out the iniquities, and to make atonement for iniquities, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy...Dan. 9:24. Some translations say seventy times seven weeks - 70 x 7 - but the meaning is the same.

The word determined in the original Hebrew language is hatak meaning:  to decree, to cut off.  A decree is a judgment.  In the modern English dictionary the word determined means:  already fixed; settled.  So we can see that seventy weeks is a judgment upon Daniel's people, and upon the holy city of Jerusalem, with a set period of time to end sin. This period of judgment has been fixed by God. At the end of the time they will be "cut off."

Right from the beginning of the vision we can clearly see that the whole 70 weeks are determined upon the people of Israel and the holy city of Jerusalem.  The judgment in the vision was meant for no others.  Scripture must be kept in context - including prophecy - to understand its meaning.

In scripture, the number seven is symbolic of completeness and perfection. It is a mysterious sacred measurement used generously by God throughout the Bible.  Since seven is a symbolic number, what does weeks symbolize in the 70 x 7 weeks vision?  We must study the celebration of the Jewish feasts to understand the meaning.

The Aramaic word shaboa defines the division of an ecclesiastical year. A shaboa celebration lasts seven weeks or 49 days. Ecclesiastical pertains to a religious celebration of God's direction. Since seven weeks describes one religious year, Daniel's vision of 70 x 7 weeks could be more clearly defined as 70 x a shaboa - one ecclesiastical year.  Seventy ecclesiastical years are determined upon Israel and the holy city of Jerusalem.

The ecclesiastical year of 49 days - seven weeks - begins with the Passover in the month of Nisan (Jewish calendar), includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and ends the ecclesiastical year with the Feast of Pentecost.  At the end of the shaboa celebration - seven weeks - it was time to celebrate the Day of Firstfruits (Pentecost) which was at the completion of the wheat harvest.  This feast was celebrated on the 50th day - lasting one day.

This annual ecclesiastical celebration of seven weeks remembered the redemptive blood (Passover) that saved the Israelites from the plague of death during their days in Egypt.  During this celebration the people confessed their sins and professed their belief in a coming Messiah who would end the animal blood sacrifices, by providing His own blood sacrifice once and for all - but He never arrived!

Did the people quit believing, when centuries passed, and the Messiah never arrived?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Daniel's 70-Week Vision Series #4 - Part 80 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

When we were last together in this series, Daniel was in captivity in Babylon.  Because of his youth Daniel was not aware that the Prophet Jeremiah had sent a letter to Israel's religious leaders who were also held in captivity. What did the letter say?

 

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed...for they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord...for thus says the Lord:  after seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place...Jer. 29:8-10.  Why was it urgent that Jeremiah's letter reach the captives in Babylon?

 

It was God who compelled Jeremiah to write this letter to warn the captives that they have been infiltrated by false prophets, who have promised them a speedy escape from their captivity.  They assured the captives they would return to Israel within two years...Jer. 28:1-17. 

 

In this letter, God warned the religious leaders not to listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.  Apparently these prophets successfully convinced the people that God had given them dreams of direction, so they can be trusted. But these dreams were not from God, warns Jeremiah.

 

The prophets in captivity assured the people that God has shown them in dreams that they will only have to endure captivity for two years.  Jeremiah said in his letter that God did not send those prophets, He did not give them the dreams they claim He gave to them, because their time in captivity in Babylon will be 70 years - not 2 years.  Sadly, every generation has its false prophets who are revered and lauded up to and including the twenty-first century. 

 

Jesus warned us about false prophets, but they always sound so knowledgeable and make their listeners confident that they have figured out God and His prophecy of scripture, even though the Prophet Peter warned us that...no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit...II Pet. 1:20-21.  Nonetheless, we seem mesmerized by dreams and visions of men who say that God gave them, even if the content contradicts, or twists scripture.  We are so easily deceived.

 

As the 70 years of punishment were drawing to a close, Daniel found and read Jeremiah's letter revealing...after seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.  Daniel finally understood why his people were in captivity, yet they had not repented of their disobedience.  So he began to weep before the Lord and confess the sins of his people, saying,

 

Yes, all Israel has transgressed your Law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you...and He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem...as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayers before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth...Dan. 9:11-13.

 

As Daniel matured in his knowledge of the prophets and the law, he realized that Israel had become slaves to a pagan nation because they had ignored God's commandment to observe the Sabbath Rest for the land for seventy years - so God took their land from them for 70 years...Lev 25:1-55. Daniel began to intercede for the future of his people, saying,

 

O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain:  because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us...now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face too shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake...O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name:  for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies...O lord, hear; O Lord forgive; O Lord hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God:  for thy city and thy people are called by thy name...Dan. 9:16-19.

 

Then the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel.  What did he say? Stay tuned...

 

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~