Embark on a prophetic expedition with me, Dr. Robert Jackson, as we traverse the enigmatic landscape of ancient visions and divine timelines. Prepare to unearth the profound mysteries of Daniel chapter 9, where prayer intertwines with prophecy, and angelic revelations shed light on God's masterful orchestration of history. We'll navigate the complexities of the seventy weeks, a divine clock counting down to pivotal moments in biblical and messianic prophecy that bridged the Old and New Testaments. Feel the anticipation build as we connect Daniel's experience with the announcements to Zechariah and the Virgin Mary, reinforcing the unbroken thread of God's promises throughout scripture.
This episode unfurls the intricacies of the "seventy sevens" prophecy, breaking down celestial mathematics that point to the Messiah's arrival and the prophetic pause that ushers in the church age. Together, we'll ponder the implications of this pause, a divinely designed intermission that includes the Gentiles as co-heirs in the unfolding narrative of redemption. As we contemplate the forthcoming tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist, the message is clear: vigilance and purity are paramount as we await the consummation of a story written from creation's dawn. Join us for a journey through prophecy, where ancient texts illuminate our path and fortify our faith in the certainty of God's sovereign plan.
Embark on a prophetic expedition with me, Dr. Robert Jackson, as we traverse the enigmatic landscape of ancient visions and divine timelines. Prepare to unearth the profound mysteries of Daniel chapter 9, where prayer intertwines with prophecy, and angelic revelations shed light on God's masterful orchestration of history. We'll navigate the complexities of the seventy weeks, a divine clock counting down to pivotal moments in biblical and messianic prophecy that bridged the Old and New Testaments. Feel the anticipation build as we connect Daniel's experience with the announcements to Zechariah and the Virgin Mary, reinforcing the unbroken thread of God's promises throughout scripture.
This episode unfurls the intricacies of the "seventy sevens" prophecy, breaking down celestial mathematics that point to the Messiah's arrival and the prophetic pause that ushers in the church age. Together, we'll ponder the implications of this pause, a divinely designed intermission that includes the Gentiles as co-heirs in the unfolding narrative of redemption. As we contemplate the forthcoming tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist, the message is clear: vigilance and purity are paramount as we await the consummation of a story written from creation's dawn. Join us for a journey through prophecy, where ancient texts illuminate our path and fortify our faith in the certainty of God's sovereign plan.
Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, Dr Robert Jackson.
Speaker 2:
Papa, can you tell me a story? Do you really want me to tell you a story? Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Welcome to Devotions with Dr Papa. Gather around and grab your Bibles and let's look into the written Word, which reveals to us the living Word which is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:
Well, today's lesson brings us back to Daniel, chapter 9. And if you remember, daniel had a vision and it was interpreted by Gabriel. And in Daniel, chapter 9, verse 20, the Bible tells us that while Daniel was speaking and praying and confessing his sin and the sin of his people, israel, and presenting his supplication before the Lord, his God, in behalf of the holy mountain of his God, daniel says While I was still speaking in prayer, then the man, gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. He gave me instruction and talked with me and said O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications, the command was issued and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed, so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. And then, in the next verses, gabriel explains to Daniel the vision that has been given to him, and this vision concerns the 70 weeks and the Messiah. So, beginning in verse 24, I'm going to read these and then we'll come back and we'll do a little bit of explanation.
Speaker 2:
Verse 24, 70 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 62 weeks. It will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then, after the 62 weeks, even in times of distress, then after the 62 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.
Speaker 2:
Well, let's go back and look at some of this passage. While Daniel was cleansing himself by confession, god sent unto him the angel whose name was Gabriel, to reveal the days of Israel that were to come, to give them hope and to assure them of security. Once again, the Lord used this very same angel, about 500 years later, to announce to Zechariah that he was to be the father of John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of the Messiah. Following this, gabriel appeared unto the Virgin Mary to reveal that she was God's choice to conceive and bear the Messiah. For 70 years, israel has been punished in exile, and now God reveals that for 70 weeks, israel would continue until the golden age of messianic rule.
Speaker 2:
Now let's understand something. The literal Hebrew states that the 70 weeks are 77s, are seventy sevens. Consequently, the translators assumed that seven meant a week, ie seven days and they translated it as such. But this word seven is the exact same term used in Genesis, which states that Jacob worked a seven for Leah and then labored another seven for Rachel. These sevens, we know, were actually years. True, we know that the meaning of the seventy sevens, seventy times seven years equals four hundred and ninety years. Therefore, four hundred and ninety years were determined upon Daniel and his people, israel. For the end of the four hundred and ninety years, the Messiah would set up the kingdom. At the end of the 490 years, the Messiah would set up the kingdom. Every Jewish priest, every Jewish scribe, every Jewish Pharisee who studied the book of Daniel, who studied prophecy, knew that 490 years after the beginning of the construction of the temple, the Messiah was predicted to arrive on the scene.
Speaker 2:
God did not leave the people of Israel clueless. He gave them an exact calendar of events 70 sevens, 70 times seven years, 490 years. For 490 years from the time of Solomon. For 490 years from the time of Solomon, israel did not keep the sabbatical year. That meant every seventh year was to be kept holy, as well as the seventh day. No planting nor gathering of grain or fruit. Consequently, there were 70 years during which the land had no rest. God then sent Israel into the Babylonian exile for 70 years to let the land rest. And now, after 490 years, from the time of Daniel to the Messiah's enthronement, from the time of Daniel to the Messiah's enthronement, god will give Israel a thousand years of Sabbaths.
Speaker 2:
Now let's try to make these sevens as clear as we possibly can. Seventy weeks, seventy sevens, that's 70 times 7, equals 490 years, are determined upon Israel to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins and to anoint the most holy, in other words the Messiah. 490 years and the Messiah would start to reign. Every Pharisee knew that, every scribe knew that. Number two seven weeks, that's seven times seven. Then three score weeks, that's 60 times seven. And then two weeks, two times seven had them all together, that's 49 plus 420 plus 14, equals 483 years is the time which elapsed between the command to build back Jerusalem that's Nehemiah, chapter 2, until the time of the Messiah. Then Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, was to be cut off.
Speaker 2:
True to this prediction, the Lord Jesus was slain on the cross exactly 483 years after the command was given to restore the city. Number three three score and two weeks, that's 420 plus 14, equals 434 years. Let's go back and do that again Three score, that's 60 times seven. And then two weeks, that's two times seven. That's 420 plus 14 equals 434 years. It lapses from the time Jerusalem is built to the execution of the Messiah.
Speaker 2:
Where was that? Well, if you'll read in the passage, it tells us that there's 62 weeks and the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing. That's three score plus two weeks. You see, through the prophet, by divine revelation, god told the Jewish people exactly when the, the Messiah, would appear and exactly when he would be cut off.
Speaker 2:
Number four seven weeks lay between the time of the command to build Jerusalem and the time it was finished. Seven times seven equals 49 years. And then, when you add them all together, it took 49 years, seven weeks. When you add them all together, it took 49 years, seven weeks to build the city, plus 434 years. That's the 60 weeks plus the two weeks from the completion of the city to the cutting off of the Messiah. That's 483 years. And all of these are predicted in this passage that we've just read. And then, lastly, one week is the seven years is left over. Where's the 70th week? One week is left over After Messiah was cut off the Lord Jesus crucified. Did that 70th week continue? Did that last seven years continue? Well, if it did, then we are in the kingdom now.
Speaker 2:
The Lord Jesus is sitting upon King David's throne in Jerusalem and we're in the middle of the millennium and sin is at an end. Well, you and I realize that that's not true. We can safely say that the kingdom has not been set up as yet. The Lord Jesus is now sitting upon His heavenly Father's throne, but we will soon sit upon, and he will soon sit upon, his own messianic throne, because in Revelations, chapter 3, in verse 21, the Bible tells us that. Let me get to it very quickly. Hang on. Revelations, chapter 3, in verse 21, tells us that he who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. You see, jesus overcame and he is now sitting down with his father on his heavenly throne. And that's where Jesus is now sitting, on his father's heavenly throne. But there yet remains that 70th week when Jesus returns to sit on his physical throne, on David's throne, in the millennial kingdom.
Speaker 2:
So let me ask a question what happened between the 69th week, that 483rd year, and the 70th week, the last remaining seven years. Well, I'll explain it to you. It's the church age. The church age is that gap, the valley in between the first coming of Messiah and the second coming of Messiah. As we know, the church age was never revealed in the Old Testament, but it was known in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.
Speaker 2:
In Ephesians, chapter 1,. Let me read you a verse in Ephesians, chapter 1, and verse 4. Just as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. You see, god chose us, the church, the elect. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. We were in the mind of God. Before the foundation of the world it was a mystery hidden in God and now revealed unto His apostles and the prophets.
Speaker 2:
In Ephesians, chapter 3, the Bible tells us very plainly that the church was a mystery to the Old Testament prophets and that it was revealed to Paul and the New Testament prophets. He said for this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for the sake of the Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you, that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief, by referring to this when you read, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. What is a mystery? A mystery is something that was a secret beforehand but is now being revealed. And what is the mystery? In verse 5, he says, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now been revealed to his holy apostles and the prophets in the spirit and the prophets in the spirit. Verse 6, to be specific that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. And then, in verse 9, he says and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things.
Speaker 2:
So you see, this whole notion of a church was a mystery. This whole notion that the Gentiles would become a part of the elect was a mystery, a secret that was previously hidden and the Old Testament prophets never saw it and never understood it. As far as Israel was concerned, it was as though God had punched the stopwatch for her after the 483rd year. It was time out then for Israel, and that time out has lasted for nearly 2,000 years. But as soon as this church age is over, which the Bible calls the fullness of the Gentiles, the stopwatch is punched for Israel again, and Israel is to have the remaining 70th week, that last seven years, which is known as the tribulation.
Speaker 2:
Now listen, during the church age, the Bible tells us that for the Jews, their eyes are darkened and it's like a veil has been dropped over them and a partial hardening of their hearts. And if you've ever talked to Jewish people about the gospel, their response is to scoff and ridicule and it's as if their hearts are hardened, their eyes are blinded. But the reverse will be true during the last seven years, the last 70th week, because during that time the fullness of the Gentiles will be over and the clock will be stopped. And during the tribulation time it will be once again a time for the Jews to be able to receive the gospel message. And it will be difficult for Gentiles to be saved during the tribulation time, and it's not that they can't be saved, it's just that it will be more difficult for them and it will be easier for the Jews to be saved during tribulation, because that veil will be lifted, that hardening of their hearts will be removed and the eyes of their heart will no longer be darkened. And, you see, the whole situation will be reversed during that time. Why? Because that stopwatch that has been punched for 2,000 years, during which time the Gentiles have been more open to the gospel, that fullness of the Gentiles will be over and this time, for the Jews to receive the gospel during the tribulation will be open.
Speaker 2:
Now, with this in mind, let us consider Daniel 9, as he tells us what shall happen during the 70th week, the last seven years of the tribulation. Daniel 9, verse 26, states that Messiah shall be cut off and will have nothing Right. Then the stopwatch is punched and the church age is ushered in. That's when Jesus is crucified and raised again and ascends into heaven and the church begins. And after the church age is over and that gap is closed, the 70th week of Daniel commences and God turns his attention to Israel, his chosen people, the people of the prince that shall come, the Bible says, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Now some have applied these words to the destruction of the city and the temple in 70 AD by Titus, the Roman general, and you could certainly apply that to Titus, but the meaning is that the armies of the Antichrist shall destroy the rebuilt temple.
Speaker 2:
During these last three and a half years of the tribulation, the prince, the Antichrist, shall confirm a seven-year covenant with Israel and in the midst of that seven-year agreement he will break the covenant. He will place his throne in the temple and cause the world to worship him as God, as described in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. And then he shall immediately destroy the temple. The elevation to deity and the recognition of worship in the temple is what the Bible calls the abomination of desolation, which Jesus described in Matthew 24 and verse 15. After the tribulation this 70th week of Daniel is over Messiah shall return and set up his kingdom, the millennial kingdom, and he shall reign over the whole world. And the end of verse 27 tells us very, very plainly that the one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction one that is decreed is poured out on. The one who makes desolate, a complete destruction will be poured out on Antichrist when Jesus comes back and the Bible says that he will destroy Antichrist by the breath of his mouth.
Speaker 2:
Now let me ask you a question why is all this important for you and me? Because you see, you and I as Christian folks, we're not going to be there during the tribulation. We leave in the rapture. Well, the importance of all of this for you and me is the challenge to be pure and be prepared. Haven't I told you that already? Yes, I have.
Speaker 2:
The challenge for you and me, when we study prophecy, is to be pure and be prepared, because you and I are going to be the bride of Christ and we will be attending the marriage supper of the Lamb, as immediately after the rapture is the marriage supper of the Lamb. Now listen, when a bride attends her wedding feast, what does she want to wear? Does she want to wear clothes that are torn and tattered and dirty? Of course not. When you and I attend the marriage supper of the Lamb, we want to go there in a dress, in wedding clothes that are pure and white. You want to be pure and when the rapture comes, brothers and sisters, you don't want to be caught doing something that you shouldn't be doing, looking at something you shouldn't look at, listening to things you shouldn't be listening to, or doing things you shouldn't be doing. The challenge for you and me is to be pure and to be wearing wedding clothes that are clean and bright and white.
Speaker 2:
And the other challenge is that we want to be prepared, and part of preparation is I don't want any of my friends or family to go through the tribulation. I want all of my friends and family to know Jesus. I want them to be born again into the kingdom of God, and I have a sense of urgency when I see what's happening in the Middle East today. I have a sense of urgency because I'm satisfied that Jesus is coming back sooner than later. And I have an urgency and I want to be prepared, not just myself, but I want all of my friends and family and co-workers to be prepared for the rapture. I want them to go with me in the rapture. Don't you? Don't you want your friends and family to go up in the rapture when we go? That's part of the preparation.
Speaker 2:
Brothers and sisters, be pure and be prepared and keep your eyes on the eastern sky, because I'm satisfied that sooner than later, we're going to hear the shout and we're going to hear the trumpet, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then all of us who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Oh, what a day of rejoicing that will be. Now you're listening to Devotions with Dr Papa. I hope you enjoy it and if you do, just download it, would you and listen to it for a week and then later you can delete it and share it with your friends and family and tell them about devotions with Dr Papa, and I hope you will come back and join us again next week and I pray that the Lord will bless you real good.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry, dr Jackson's books good Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry, dr Jackson's books, or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or their webpage at jacksonfamilyministrycom. This podcast is produced by Bob Sloan Audio Production at bobsloancom.