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~~~
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