Skip to main content

Prophecy #3

             “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. (Daniel 9:25-26)

            The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)

            The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. (Genesis 49:4)

 

            I haven’t done the math, but I’ve read that the count of years from when the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the estimated date of Jesus’ “triumphal entry” fits perfectly with the 62 sevens. Here’s what David Jeremiah says about it: Decoding Daniel’s Seventy-Weeks Prophecy - David Jeremiah Blog

            One of the immediate complaints I’ve heard about this prophecy is that (as David Jeremiah noted) there were four decrees. Which was the decree to which the prophecy referred? The earliest was in 538 BC but included only the temple. It wasn’t until 445 BC that Nehemiah was authorized to rebuild Jerusalem. But here’s the thing. We have records of four decrees over ninety-three years. In addition to having to be the son of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, and David, and being born in Bethlehem, he had to be born, live, and die within a 93-year period that happened to end around the time that Jesus was crucified.

            Today’s second passage says that the Messiah will be a priest…forever…according to the order of Melchizedek. The author of Hebrews addresses this in the seventh chapter of that book. I’ll just hit the basics. He will be a priest. Priests act as intermediaries between God and man. His priesthood won’t be like that of the Levitical priests, meaning the Messiah could not be from the tribe of Levi. He was to be from the line of Judah, but somehow, His intercession would be superior to that of the Levitical priests. Otherwise, why mention it? One of the ways His priesthood would differ is that it would be forever. The Levites were only permitted to serve from 25 to 50 years of age.

            So, for those who claim that Jesus is just another of many “gods who died and rose again,” how many others died at the right time? How many even have some historical record telling when they died? How many others served as an intermediary between God and man? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more