Author Archives: William Struse

The 14th Sacrifice

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Burnt_Offerings

Burnt Offerings

 

I’m continually thrilled by the Messianic symbolism YHWH has hidden in the Scripture for us to find. To me it’s the ultimate treasure hunt, with each new find bringing additional depth and beauty to our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind.

Burnt Offering Sacrifice

Click to Enlarge

Right up front I’ll admit my bias, I believe the Bible to be the inspired words of YHWH. When there are passages that don’t make any sense or seem down right funky I like to look a these parts as a wonderful puzzle to solve. A good example of what I am talking about is the order and number of sacrifices prescribed during the Biblical feast days. If you’ve read my article An Old Testament Enigma or The Messiah Factors you already know there is more to the arrangement of Old Testament sacrifices offered during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Since Passover 2014 is just days away I thought I would share a little bit different perspective on this wonderful Biblical holy day which is so symbolic of Yeshua’s sacrifice on our behalf.

I know many today hold to the belief that in order for Yeshua to fulfill the symbolic nature of this Biblical feast he had to be crucified at the same time as all the other “Passover” lambs on the 14th of Nisan. There are several reasons I do not hold this belief. The first, and most important reason is it would require me to take the gospel accounts at something other than face value and by doing so it needlessly confuses the rest of the Passover week chronology. The second, is that I think that holding this position does not allow us to see a greater symbolic picture which Yeshua fulfilled in regards to this Biblical feast day.

Let’s start with gospel accounts: 

Matthew 26:18-20 17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?…19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.  20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

Mark 14:12-18   12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?…. and they made ready the passover.  17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.  18 And as they sat and did eat,

Luke 22:8-15   8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat….  and they made ready the passover.  14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

 John 13:1-2  Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.  2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

Taken at face value the above passages show that Yeshua ate the Passover supper with his disciples at the same time as the rest of Jerusalem. Some have used the passage in John 13 to claim that Yeshua kept a special teaching “supper” with his disciples before the real Passover supper. Matthew, Mark and Luke do not support this position. If you have read my article Even unto Even and the Exodus Day then you know the Scripture is perfectly clear that the Passover lambs are killed before “even” on the 14th which was just before sunset beginning the15th day of Nisan . (And the start of the 7 days of Unleavened Bread.)

 To avoid confusion I think it would be helpful here to define the two ways the term “passover” is used in the Bible. In the specific sense the Hebrew term pecach (Passover) comes from the Hebrew root pacach which means to “pass over”. In a majority of cases the term is used to designate the commemorative Passover supper as kept by the Israelites the night before they exited Egypt.

Exodus 12:11-13  11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the YHWH’S passover.  12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, …… and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Yeshuas_Passover_Supper2014

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 As I showed in my article on the Exodus Day , Israel sacrificed the Passover lamb late on the 14th day of Nisan just before the 15th. Later that night (on the 15th) all Israel ate the Passover supper.

 The term Passover is also used in a more general sense to designate the entire 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread. (The Passover “supper” beginning this 7 day feast.) Here are a couple of examples:

 Ezekiel 45:21   21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

Josephus also shows that the term Passover was used to represent the entire 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Ant. 14:21; Ant. 17:213; Ant. 18:29; Jwr. 2:10

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Even though the New Testament does not show that Yeshua was killed at the same time as the other Passover lambs there is a bigger picture related to the “Passover” that I think many are missing.

 First of all, the fact is the Passover lambs were not killed on the “feast day” proper. The Passover lambs were killed during the day of the 14th of Nisan just before sundown of the 15th. In my opinion and I think the Biblical record bears this out, both contextually and symbolically Yeshua had to be killed on the “feast day” proper (i.e. the 15th). Contextually the above gospel accounts show that Yeshua ate the Passover with his disciples as prescribed by the Law. This would place his death during the daytime hours of the 15th of Nisan about the same time as the sin atonement sacrifice was offered by the high priest.

The gospel accounts aside the apostle Paul’s in 1 Cor. 5:7-8 refers to Yeshua as “our passover” in the context of the feast of unleavened bread. Later in 1 Cor. 11:23-26 Paul shows that the “bread” and “cup” of the Passover supper kept by Yeshua and the disciples was, in Yeshua’s own words,  a symbol of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. As such this service should be kept in remembrance of Yeshua until he comes again.

 1 Corinthians 5:7-8  7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 1 Corinthians 11:23-26   23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

 I know some will argue that Paul’s reference above to Yeshua as our “passover” means that Yeshua had to be killed at the same time as the other “Passover” lambs. As I showed above, the term “Passover” is used in both a general and specific sense. In order to not contradict the gospel accounts the term “passover” in 1 Cor. 5 (above) must be understood in the general sense. Indeed, it was not until the 15th of Nisan that an sin atonement sacrifice was offered.

*    *    *

Yeshua_Garden_Geth For the sake of argument let’s take the gospel accounts at face value. Let’s assume that Yeshua did in fact eat the Passover supper with his disciples and the rest of Jerusalem during the early evening hours which began the 15th of Nisan. Later that night, still the 15th of Nisan, Yeshua took the disciples into the garden of Gethsemane to pray.

Now contrast this with the events of the Exodus Day. That very night about 1500 years earlier the blood on the doors posts of Israelites protected them from the angle of death. Yeshua that very same night shed his blood in “great drops” petitioning the Father. Instead of an angel sent to kill that night an angel was sent to strengthen.

 Luke 22:43-44   43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

 About the same time Israel was leaving Egypt with their “unleavened bread” upon their shoulders, Yeshua, the unleavened “bread of heaven”, bore (on His shoulders) a cross and the sins of mankind on his way to pay the righteous price for our reconciliation to our Creator.Yeshua_Bearing_Cross

 Exodus 12:34  34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

 John 19:17-18  17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:  18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

 Matthew 27:31-32   31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.  32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

 *    *    *

 With the above chronology in mind let’s now consider the 1st day of Unleavened Bread in context of the sacrificial service. One of my secondary objections to Yeshua crucifixion on the 14th of Nisan is that the 14th of Nisan is not a miqra or “holy convocation”. Though the Passover lambs were killed on the 14th of Nisan their blood did not protect, nor was the sacrifice consumed by the Israelites until the night of the 15th (the feast day proper). For 1500 years before Yeshua and now almost 2000 years after both Jews and Gentiles have commemorate the 15th of Nisan as the day YHWH delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. As I have laid out above, a reasonable case can be made that Yeshua’s blood, that very same day, paid the price for mankind’s bondage to sin.

 *   *   *

As a final thought on the subject (for this article anyway) I would like to look at the sacrifices prescribed for the first day of Unleavened Bread as found in Numbers 28. 

 Numbers 28:17-23  17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.  18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:  19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto YHWH; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:…. 22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.  23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

Numbers 28:3-4  3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto YHWH; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

 In light of my articles on the Messiah Factors isn’t it fascinating to realize that 13 sacrifices are commanded to be made for this day. (2 bullocks, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat, and the 2 morning/evening continual burnt offering.) What’s even more, though the “Passover” lamb was killed on the 14th it’s purpose was not realized until the 15th of Nisan, thus making 13 sacrifices offered but 14 consumed on the feast day. Now how awesome is that? The Passover lamb was indeed a 14th sacrifice, and by its unique nature forever stamping the 15th of Nisan with the Messiah Factors .   

Passover Sacrifices 2014

 Authors Note: In subsequent articles I will explore some of the more controversial aspects of the chronology described above. Such as:

* The 14th Sacrifice
* “The Feast Day”: Judas’ Betrayal
* Defiled on the “Passover”
* The “Preparation” Day
* The “3rd Day”
*The Sign of Jonah

Book 1
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The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

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Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

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Book 3
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The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

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Blood Moons: Message or Madness?

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Mark Biltz - Blood Moons

The above title by Author – Mark Biltz

Those with an interest in Bible prophecy have probably heard something about the “blood moons” which are coming up this year and next. This astronomical phenomenon is generating a lot of attention among evangelical Christians with no sign (excuse the pun) that the excitement has reached its peak. Basically the “blood moons” are a series of relatively rare eclipses  which fall on the Biblical feast days in the next two years. If the dates come and go without any obvious event there is sure to be mocking and ridicule by the usual suspects. Though a majority of those writing about the subject have not claimed these celestial events are an immediate or specific harbinger of the 2nd Coming it will not stop the naysayers from pointing to those irresponsible few who are trying to name the “day and hour” of Christ’s return.

Personally, I don’t believe the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 will see the rapture of the church, the start of the “great tribulation”, or the 2nd Coming of Yeshua as a few people are claiming. I also do not agree with those who are saying these events have no importance at all. As I will explain shortly the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 come at a very significant point in Bible chronology. So while many are questioning the significance of these events I would like to take a step back and look at them in the context of a panoramic view of Biblical history.

First it should be acknowledged that the current “blood moon” phenomena and its possible significance was first discovered by Messianic/Hebrews Roots pastor Mark Biltz. A quick internet search will return more than enough information to explain the phenomenon discovered by Pastor Biltz. Right now on Amazon there are at least six different books in the top 20 religious/prophecy category in some way related to the subject. I will say that I do not agree with everything taught by Pastor Biltz but his writings on the Biblical feast days as they relate to the Messiah are some of the best explanations of the subject.

Ray Bentley - Holy Land KeyOscar Terrazas -Three Blood MoonsMark Hitchcock - Blood Moons RisingT.W. Tramm - 2012-2015: The Season of Return?Craig White - Bible Prophecy 2014 2015John Hagee's - Four Blood Moons

Though I do not know Pastor Biltz personally I can tell you he is gracious and humble enough to go out of his way to help a stranger. A couple years ago as I was going through the final editing stages of my novel The 13th Enumeration, I needed someone to check my Hebrew spelling of the names in Yeshua’s lineage. Not knowing anyone who spoke Hebrew I took a chance and email Pastor Biltz’s to see if he would take a look. To my surprise he promptly emailed me back with several corrections. I subsequently learned this was the day before he was to leave on a teaching tour in Europe. Needless to say I was impressed and grateful he had taken the time from his busy schedule to help someone he did not know.

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For regular readers of my b41_Jubilees_Cycleslog you know that I love to dig into the details of Biblical history and chronology. Over the years I have found the chronology of the Bible brings wonderful context as well as rich symbolism to many of the events recorded, especially those events related to the reconciliation of mankind to our Creator through the sacrifice of Yeshua.

In my recent article on the Jubilee Code I explained how the 41 generations from Abraham to Yeshua (Matt. 1) actually equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Further, if you go back in time you’ll find the span of time from Abraham to Adam also equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Based upon this and other evidence I became convinced that the lineage of Yeshua in Matthew 1 was written as a type of chronological keystone. Of particular interest to our present generation is that in the fall of 1979 the 123rd Jubilee cycle from Adam began (41+41+41). This means that we a currently living in the 41st Jubilee cycle from Yeshua.

Significantly the 123rd Jubilee also marks the end of another important epic in Biblical history. According to a reasonable (and defensible) rendering of Old Testament chronology, the birth of Isaac took place on the 43rd Jubilee from Adam. This set time or “mow’ed”, as it was called in the Scripture, began a period of time which was typified by atonement sacrifice and YHWH’s dealings with Abraham’s seed.  During this 43rd Jubilee YHWH tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. Genesis 22 gives us a beautiful testimony of Abraham’s faith as well as prophetic picture of Yeshua’s future atonement:

Genesis 22:2-8 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  And Abraham rose up early in the morning,…Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,…. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:….

40_Jubilee_Cycles

Exactly 40 Jubilee cycles later, in 69 AD,  the last atonement sacrifice was offered in the temple at Jerusalem. The following year on the 9th of Av the temple was destroyed, thus beginning the exile of the Jewish people. Jesus, in Luke 21 predicted this destruction of the temple and the scattering of the Jewish people.  When asked by his disciples, when the destruction of the temple would take place he gave (in part) this answer:

Luke 21:24-28   24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.  25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

It can be argued, reasonably so I might add, that 70 AD did indeed see the destruction of the temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people into “all nations” as prophesied by Yeshua. In fact it was only in the first part of the 20th century that a mandate was given which set in motion the return of the Jewish people to their ancient land. Then in 1948 the nation of Israel was reborn.  Though Israel recaptured and untied Jerusalem in 1967 the very heart of this ancient city (the temple mount) is still under “gentile” control. This brings me back to the present. Today we are living in the 40th jubilee cycle from the destruction of Jerusalem and that last fateful atonement sacrifice. I believe a reasonable argument can be made that the past 40 Jubilee cycles are what Yeshua described as the “times of the Gentiles”. This epic will soon be drawing to a close.

To me it is fascinating to note that the 39th Jubilee cycle from Isaac saw the birth of Yeshua. The 40th Jubilee saw his death, resurrection, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the sacrificial system and the birth of the “church age”.

39 Jubilee cycles into the “church age” the nation of Israel has once again been reborn and we find YHWH again dealing with the Jewish people, bringing them back to the land He promised to Abraham. As the 40th Jubilee winds down it becomes apparent that we are in another period of transition. Great changes are afoot as YHWH prepares mankind for the return of Yeshua and His millennial reign from Jerusalem.

Before I talk about the “blood moons” and the year 2014/2015 as it relates to the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles I would like to look at a couple of more symbolic themes which I believe add credibility to the Biblical epics I’ve been describing.

 *    *    *

After Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before “crossing over” into the Promised Land under the leadership of Yeshua (Joshua son of Nun). For those who may not know the name Jesus/Joshua/Yeshua are all variations on the same name which means Salvation of YA. During those 40 years of wandering, Israel was given manna to eat. In John 6, Yeshua compared the manna in the wilderness with himself as the “Bread of Life” or “Living” bread. Later the apostle Paul connects the symbolism of Yeshua and “bread” with the expectancy of His 2nd Coming.

 John 6:47-58  47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.  48 I am that bread of life.  49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.  51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: …..  58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26  That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me……  26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

For 40 years the Children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness before they crossed over into the Promised Land. For the past 40 Jubilees mankind has been given the opportunity to eat the “living” bread of heaven.

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 The last theme I want to look at is one that is often mentioned when discussing eschatology. In Matthew 24, Yeshua, when describing the events which transpire between the destruction of the temple and His return, explains them in terms of a woman’s birth pangs. I believe a good case can be made that this symbolism may have a near and far fulfillment.

In terms of human biology a full term pregnancy last 40 weeks. Yeshua’s death and resurrection took place in 30 AD and Jerusalem fell 40 years later. A reasonable case can be made that the events of 70 AD were a partial fulfillment of Yeshua’s words in Matthew 24. Clearly Yeshua did not literally return at that time so He must have been speaking of another time as well. A period of 40 Jubilees may well fit the pattern. If this is the case then a little speculative math may give us some insights into this final period time.

If 40 weeks = 40 Jubilees
1 week = 49 years.
Each day of “labor” = 7 years.

 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4  1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Mark 13:4-8  4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?  5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:  6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.  8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows (birth pangs).

Matthew 24:4-8  4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (birth pangs).

So what does this have to do with the “blood moons” in 2014/2015? Based upon the Jubilee cycles as described above the autumn of 2013 – 2014 ends the 5th Sabbath cycle of the 40th Jubilee from the destruction of Jerusalem. (Each Jubilee has 7 cycles of 7 years.) The fall of 2014 begins the final two Sabbath cycles of this 40th Jubilee as well as the 123rd Jubilee from Adam. If there is any validity to the symbolism of birth pangs and 40 Jubilees cycles, then the next two Sabbath cycles (14 years) should see some incredible events as they related to Bible prophecy.

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On a related note, for those who are familiar with my articles on the Messiah Factors, it is interesting to see that the “blood moons” fall on the 6013/14 year from Adam.  It’s hard for me to believe this is a coincidence. If you have not read my article on the Messiah Factors here is a brief summary:

*Matthew 1 lists Yeshua as the 13th generation. (upon his resurrection becoming the 14th).
*Luke 1 describes the priestly service of Zachariah and the conception of Elisabeth. Six months later Mary conceived, thus placing the birth of Yeshua in the 7th month during the 13th or 14th priestly course.
*The number of “burnt” offering sacrifices during the Feast of Tabernacles (7th month) emphasis 13 & 14. Isaac, who first foreshadowed the Messiah was to be offered as a “burnt” offering. (Gen. 22)
*The Biblical Holy days are regulated by 2 cycles of 13/14 days of increasing and diminishing (visible) light. (Inside a lunar cycle which is 29.53 days)
*The apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:13-14 stated that Yeshua broke down the “middle wall of partition” which separated Jews and Gentiles.  During the time when Yeshua walked the earth the “middle wall of partition” was access by 14 steps and entry to the temple proper was granted by one of 13 gates.
*It could be argued that the Messiah factors and the lunar cycle are even found in the first seven digits of Pi (reversed). 3.141592 ~ (295/14/13)
*Finally, using lunar cycles of 13/14  (from YHWH’s divine command to “restore and build Jerusalem” in 520 BC) it can be shown that Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel 9. (For more on the subject read the my article the Messiah Factors)

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In summary then I do not believe the “blood moons” indicate any specific immediate event but based upon a larger chronological context they may indeed be a herald of momentous events yet to come.

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Blood-Moon Related Articles:
Blood Moons: Changing How We View Bible Prophecy

 

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For those who would like to look at the underlying chronological information that was described above please see the excerpted chart below or download the full free (PDF) chart here: Chronology of the Old Testament. The excerpted chart is best understood in the context of the full PDF. Please do your own due diligence as Bereans.

The image below can be enlarged by clicking on it.

1979-2015 Sabbath_Jubilee

Authors Note: The information developed in this article is based upon over twenty years of research. The chronology involved took two years to complete in charted form. For those who would like to see the Biblical basis for the chronology as described above you will find a PDF chart of chronology here: Chronology of the Old Testament.  Please note this chronology is based upon the Old Testament MT text of the Scriptures. Though the chart itself is solely my own effort I often turned to some of the great chronologists of the past and present to try and work out the chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah. I’ve appreciatively walked in the footsteps of the following giants of Biblical chronology: Ussher, Rawlinson, Newton, Rutherford, Davidson, and Jones. Please do your own due diligence as a Berean. Please note that the dates in this article should be understood within the context of the Jubilee & Sabbath cycles given. The dates are not a prediction of the “Rapture” or the 2nd coming of Yeshua.

Book 1
Book I - Description

The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

Click for Free Download
Book 2
Book 2 - Description

Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

Click for Free Download
Book 3
Book 3 - Description

The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

Click for Free Download

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Exodus Day

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Moses-at-the-passage-of-the

Moses and the Red Sea – Poussin

You are probably wondering why I’d concern myself with writing about the day of the Exodus, especially when Numbers 33:3-8 spells it out so precisely:

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.  Numbers 33:3-8

 Truthfully, I like to explore these subjects simply because I enjoy trying to figure out the details of Biblical history, but in this case there is a lot more to the subject which intrigues me.

Overthrow-of-Pharoah-Red_Se

Destruction of Pharaoh’s Army – Poussin

First of all, I wondered if it was possible to ascertain not the day of the month of the Exodus but the day of week. I realize this is a theoretical exercise because YHWH didn’t give Moses instructions for 6 days of labor and a day of rest until after the Exodus. In fact it was not until the middle of the 2nd month, in the Land of Sin, that YHWH instructed Israel on the Sabbath cycle.
That being said I still wondered if we could not count the cycles retrospectively and still arrive a reasonable conclusion regarding the day of week upon which Israel left Egypt. After all, I figure that even though YHWH did not instruct Israel regarding the Sabbath cycle until after the Exodus, He did in fact set the example for 6 days of labor and one day of rest all the way back in Genesis. To my way of looking at it, if he had set this pattern up in the very beginning it was not beyond His abilities to later synchronize and continue that pattern at the Exodus.

The second reason this subject interests me is that the New Testament describes Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection as a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events. John the Baptist testified that Yeshua was:

“The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.  

The apostle Paul when describing Yeshua’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf stated: “
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb. 9:28-10:1

So if Yeshua’s death and resurrection is a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events, surely understanding the precise chronology of the Exodus might provide valuable context to the New Testament events.  With these interests in mind the following is what I believe is a reasonable outline of events based upon the Biblical record.

  1. Israel was commanded to kill the “Passover” lamb on the 14th day at “even”.  My article Even to Even explains that when the “even” of a day is mentioned it designates the end of that day and the beginning of the next. For example      when Lev. 23 mentioned the “ninth day at even” it was specifically designating the start of the 10th  day. In like manner the Exodus events show that the 14th day at “even” was in fact the start of the 15th day. I’ve included the passage from Exodus 12 at the end of this article.
  2. Israel was to eat the lamb in readiness to depart Egypt:
    And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s Passover.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night. Exo.12:11
  3. The Angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt that night. (the 15th)
    “And it came to pass, that at midnight YHWH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…” Exo. 12:29
  4. The following morning all Israel departed Egypt. This was the 1st day of the feast of Unleavened Bread.
     And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH….  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; ….And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; …And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Exo. 12

In summary, the above chronology clearly shows that Israel killed their Passover lambs on the 14th day at “even” just before sundown which began the 15th. The night beginning the 15th of Nisan they ate the Passover, leaving nothing of it until the morning, as they were commanded. When the morning of the 15th came, Israel, fully dressed, shod, and with much treasure from their Egyptian neighbors, departed Rameses.

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the 15 day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8 

*    *    *

Gathering-Manna

Gathering Manna – Poussin

Having established a reasonable chronology of the Exodus it is necessary to turn to Exodus 16 in order to establish a basis for the weekly Sabbath cycle.

 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 16:1

After arriving in the land of Sin, one month after the Exodus, Israel was now fully aware of the reality of their new life. The certainty of servitude had been replaced with the uncertainty of a life which required faith.

 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:  3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.  Exodus 16:2-3   

So YHWH sent them the “bread from heaven”. But the gift came with conditions. They were only allowed to gather the “manna” for 6 days. On the seventh day they were required to rest:

22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread….. And he said unto them, This is that which YHWH hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto YHWH: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto YHWH: to day ye shall not find it in the field.  26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:22-26 

 So the people rested on the seventh day. Exo.16:30

In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.

Now turning back to the Exodus chronology we can count these days of the weeks backwards to the 1st month.  By this reckoning the Passover lambs were killed just before sundown on the 5th day of the week (14th Nisan). A few hours later on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began with the Passover supper, thus beginning the 6th day of the week.

Click on the image to enlarge:

The_Exodus_Day

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Even unto Even

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A Biblical Definition of the Day

Sun-Dial-6

Living in a world which no longer keeps time according to a Biblical standard we sometimes inadvertently assume our own concept of timekeeping when interpreting certain passages of Scripture. In this article I would like to look at one of the most basic concepts of Biblical time. What is the definition of a “day” according to a Biblical reckoning of time? I’ve found that once I understood a Biblical “day” I was able to see some of the great events of the Bible from a different perspective.

Today you and I understand a “day” as a period of 24 hours beginning at 12:00:01 am (midnight). This is the point when our calendar day changes. A Biblical day on the other hand begins at “even”. In the Bible the first definition of a day is found in Genesis 1:5.

 Genesis 1:5  5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Notice how the “first day” is ordered: “…the evening and the morning”. Evening is mentioned first.  The word “evening” used in this text represents the Hebrew word ereb.  It means evening, night, or sunset. Traditionally, it is understood that this means the day begins at sundown. Granted, Genesis 1:5 is not the most concrete definition of a day one might like to find, but it does provide at least a glimpse of how a “day” is ordered in the Scripture.  To get a more conclusive definition of a day we must turn to Leviticus 23. Here a very special day is described and delimited.

 Leviticus 23:27-32   27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH.  28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before YHWH your God.  29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.  30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.  31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. 

The passage above gives specific instructions for celebrating the Day of Atonement also known as Yom Kippur. Notice verse 27 clearly states this day is to be observed on the 10th day of the 7th month. Verse 32 goes on to say this day was to be a “Sabbath of rest”.  Further it defines this special day as beginning on the 9th day at “even”, “from even unto even”.  This confirms for us that a “day” does indeed begin at ereb or sundown as first indicated in Genesis 1:5.  Further the text shows us that when “even” is used in connection with a Biblical calendar day it designates the end of the day mentioned and the start of the next day. The ninth day “at even”, in this case, clearly refers to the start of the 10th day.

The chart below gives a visual of the above information. Click on Image to enlarge.
10th_Day_7th_Month

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The Abomination of Epiphanes

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Recently Joel Richardson posted an interesting article entitled : Daniel 11:21-35: History or Future? In this article Joel explores the consensus opinion of scholars which claim that Daniel 11:21-35 applies to the historical Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Daniel 11:36-40 applies to a yet future Antichrist. I don’t intend  to explore his entire article here but one great point (of several) he made was concerning the “abomination which maketh desolate” mentioned in Daniel 11 & 12.

Joel’s main point is that the angel in Daniel 12, when speaking about the abomination of desolation, is explaining the events as described in Daniel 11. So by this premise either Daniel 11 & 12 both speak of Antiochus Epiphanes or they speak of some other event. In my opinion, Joel rightly observes that this has great implications for our understanding of the future Antichrist and the Abomination of Desolation. If you get a chance I believe his article is worth pursuing. (see link above).

Daniel 11:30-32 …….he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Daniel 12:11-12  11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

*    *    *

 For those who would like to explore the subject a little deeper I would like to offer some additional historical context which lends support to Joel’s thesis. Historically speaking there are two main sources which scholars point to when they claim Antiochus Epiphanes was the character responsible for the Abomination of Desolation. Those sources are the book of Maccabees and Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews.  Though the book of Maccabees describes the Abomination of Desolation, it does not specifically mention it in the context of Daniel’s prophecies. Josephus on the other hand explicitly states the events were a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies. I’ve reproduced the relevant passages below. It’s worth taking a moment to read. (I’ve abridged the passage for the sake of brevity)

1 Maccabees 1:54   Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;

 1 Maccabees 4:36-56  Then said Judas and his brethren, ….. So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:  Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place…. Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;  And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts….. Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning,   And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.  Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals….

 Antiquities of the Jews 12:246-253   King Antiochus …. made an expedition against the city of Jerusalem; …. Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred forty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called Chisleu, and by the Macedonians Apellaios, in the hundred and fifty-third Olympiad, that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he got possession of the city by treachery:….So he left the temple bare, and ….. he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices which they used to offer to God, according to the Law. ….. And when the king had built an idol altar upon God’s altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a sacrifice neither according to the Law, nor the Jewish religious worship in that country.

 Antiquities of the Jews 12:319-326  So on the five and twentieth day of the month of Chisleu, which the Macedonians call Apellaios, they lit the lamps that were on the lampstand, and offered incense upon the altar [of incense], and laid the loaves upon the table [of showbread], and offered burnt offerings upon the new altar [of burnt offering].  320 Now it so happened, that these things were done on the very same day on which their divine worship had stopped, and was reduced to a profane and common use, after three years’ time; for so it was, that the temple was made desolate by Antiochus, and so continued for three years.  This desolation happened to the temple in the hundred forty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Apellaios, and on the hundred fifty and third Olympiad: but it was dedicated anew, on the same day, the twenty-fifth of the month of Apellaios, on the hundred and forty-eighth year, and on the hundred and fifty-fourth Olympiad.  And this desolation came to pass according to the prophecy of Daniel, which was given four hundred and eight years before; for he declared that the Macedonians would stop that worship [for some time]…… And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights .

Antiquities of the Jews 10:272-276  Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the plain of Susa; and he has informed us that God interpreted the appearance of this vision after the following manner….. and that from among them there should arise a certain king that should overcome our nation and their laws, and should take away their political government, and should spoil the temple, and forbid the sacrifices to be offered for three years’ time.”  And indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision, and what he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them.

The Jewish War 1:32 He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation, for three years and six months.

 

So both the book of Maccabees and the Antiquities of the Jews indicate that the events of 168-165 BC were a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel.  I must admit the events described sure look like they fit the prophecy. Josephus even goes so far as to say that Antiochus Epiphanes “forbid the sacrifices” for “three years’ time” according to the vision of Daniel. Josephus must be given credit for his zeal to prove Daniel prophesied the events which befell Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes but there is a problem with Josephus’ math.

The prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12 was not for 3 years time.  The prophecy was for 1290 days & 1335 days. Based upon a year of 365.24 days the 1290 days is equal to 3.53 years. Both the book of Maccabees and Josephus’ Antiquities state the cleansing of the Temple took place in the same month 3 years after the Abomination of Desolation.

A Biblical lunar/solar calendar in use during the 2nd temple era would have had only 354.36 days. Once every third year or so an intercalary month was added which made for a year of 383.89 days. So even if one of the years between 168-165 BC was an intercalary year, at the most there were only 1092.61 days between the Abomination of Desolation by Antiochus and the cleansing of the temple by Judas Maccabeus.

 Bottom line: Judas Maccabeus’ cleansing of the temple was about 200 days short of fulfilling the 1290 days as described in Daniel 12. While the heroics of Judas Maccabeus were of great historical importance to the Jewish people they are by no reasonable rendering of the chronological record a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12.

*    *    *

While I agree with Joel Richardson that the most reasonable rendering of Daniel 11 & 12 points to a yet future fulfillment, I think it only fair to note that no matter which type of calendar month one uses the 1290 or 1335 days does not equal the 42 months mentioned in the Book of Revelation.  The prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12 may run before, after, or during the 42 months of Revelation but it is a distinctly different period of time.

1290 & 1335 days

*    *    *

 I can’t help but mention one other statement by Josephus that I find ironic in light of today’s scholarship regarding the prophecies of Daniel.  As Joel Richardson noted in his article the “overwhelming majority of conservative commentaries” attribute the prophecy of Daniel 11:21-35 to Antiochus Epiphanes. This, as we have seen above, is in large part  based upon the historical account of Josephus in Ant. 10:272-276. Yet, those same scholars ignore the very same passage where it states the following:

Antiquities of the Jews 10:272-276  Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the plain of Susa; ……….And indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision, and what he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them. 

Contextually the prophecy which “Daniel also wrote” could only be a reference to Daniel 9 and the 70 Weeks. It is the only prophecy of Daniel which could have been attributed to the Roman empire’s destruction of Jerusalem and Judea. After all, Josephus had witnessed its fulfillment first hand. Right or wrong, we have at least one Jewish eyewitness who believed the Roman desolation of Jerusalem was a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.

 Daniel 9:26   And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

For those who would like to dig a little deeper into the chronology of Josephus and the Maccabees the chart below might help. References for each date are provided. Click on the image below for a larger size image or  download a full PDF version at the following link Chronology of the Old Testament. (You’ll find the chronology  you are looking for on page 8.)

Red dates = BC
Yellow (center) = Seleucus era
Light blue = Olympiads
Gray = A.U.C. (Roman year)
White = Y.C. (year of Creation)

Judas-Maccabees-Chronology

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Generational Comparative of the 2nd Temple Era

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If you’ve read any of the articles on my blog you know I have an interest in the 2nd temple era. Several years ago I read a book entitled Esther And Ahasuerus: An Identification Of The Persons So Named by Richard Edmund Tyrwhitt (1868). I acquired this two volume work through a rare book service. Mr. Tyrwhitt’s premise was that Esther’s king had been misidentified by historians as Xerxes when if fact her true king was Darius “the Great”. This intrigued me and I set out to see if in fact the Biblical case was as strong as Mr. Tyrwhitt indicated. My articles Queen of Persia: Part I & Queen of Persia: Part II are a result of that research. In short, I found that Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes was in fact the most reasonable choice (from a Biblical perspective) for Esther’s king. When the reign of Darius is understood within the context of Esther, Daniel, Joshua, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zachariah, the entire 2nd temple era takes on new significance. (For more on the Biblical hero’s above just click on their name – linked in blue.)

For those who would like to better understand this great era in Persian and Jewish history I have reproduced a chart showing a generational comparative of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Media, Persian, and Judean kings in relation to Hadassah, Mordecai and the priests of Judah.  This chart helped me wrap my mind around the chronology of this era. For those who share my love of Biblical history I thought you might find this helpful in your own research.

Please note that this chart is based in part upon one first produced by Mr. Tyrwhitt in his book mentioned above. I have made several modifications to reflect what I believe to be a more accurate rendering of Ezra and Nehemiah’s chronology. I hope you enjoy the chart!

(Click on the chart to enlarge)

Generational_Comparative800

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The 70 Weeks Prophecy Quiz

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Question-MarkFew prophecies in the Scripture have had a greater influence on our view of “end times” than Daniel 9 and the Seventy Weeks. This prophecy is the basis for much of our understanding concerning the 7 year tribulation, the anti-christ covenant and the great tribulation. But just how well do you understand the Biblical evidence upon which this great Messianic prophecy stands? Not sure? Take this prophecy quiz and find out how well you’ve laid your foundation:

[mtouchquiz 3]

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Herod’s Eclipse & the Birth of Yeshua

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The_Nativity_ReynoldsChristian scholars often point to the first century Jewish historian, Josephus, when trying to determine the year of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) birth. Josephus’ book Antiquities of the Jews, thought not considered Scripture, is full of interesting chronological details which add context to that era. One of the more famous passages from Josephus’ works concerns an eclipse of the moon and the subsequent death of Herod. Since Matthew 2 & Luke 1 indicate that Yeshua’s birth proceeded the death of Herod it is worth considering Josephus’ account to see if it provides any chronological insights. The following is an excerpt from Ant. 17:167-191.

Antiquities of the Jews 17:167-191
167 But Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon. {c}  168 But now Herod’s distemper greatly increased upon him after a severe manner, and this by God’s judgment upon him for his sins; for a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly, as it augmented his pains inwardly; ……….. 191 When he had done these things, he died, the fifth day after he had caused Antipater to be slain; having reigned, since he had procured Antigonus to be slain, thirty-four years; but since he had been declared king by the Romans, thirty-seven. {b} A man he was of great barbarity toward all men equally, and a slave to his passion; but above the consideration of what was right;….

Murder_of_the_Innocents_Gui

The  passage goes on to describe Herod’s funeral preparations, his funeral, and a revolt of the Jewish people during Passover. All of these events provide clues which help us limit the possible year of Herod’s death and by development of that information the latest possible date for Yeshua’s birth. Josephus in Ant. 14 describes the ascendancy of Herod to the throne in Jerusalem (about 40 BC). According to Ant. 17 above, Herod ruled for 37 years from the point he was declared “king” by the Romans. Conservatively, this places the death of Herod in the year 4-3 BC. The following chart illustrates Josephus’ chronology of Herod.
Click on Image to enlarge:
Herods_Chronology_Josephus_1000

A couple of important points to remember when looking at the chart:
1. The Roman A.U.C. (Anno Urbis Conditae) was the dating system in use at the time. (Not BC/AD) The A.U.C. year began and ended in spring.(March/April) For example if Herod died in 750 A.U.C. this year would run from spring of 4 BC to the spring of 3 BC.
2. Josephus gives two dates for the begining of Archelaus’ rule. This should be read in conjunction with Dio Cassius XV, 27.

 

Now if Josephus dated the death of Herod to sometime in the years 4 or 3 BC then the eclipse he mentioned must have proceed this date by an amount of time adequate to fulfill all the events which transpired between the eclipse and the following Passover. The partial eclipse of March 13, 4 BC seems to best fulfill the above evidence. In the following chart I have proposed what I believe to be a reasonable minimum and maximum timeline for the events mentioned by Josephus.

(Click on image to enlarge:)

Herod's Final Days
As you can see Joseophus gave quite an outline of events leading up to and immediately following the death of Herod.  The question before us now is; can the events described above reasonably fit into the period of time between the eclipse of 4 BC and the following Passover? In the first chart below I have laid out what I believe is a reasonable rendering of the evidence in relation to a Biblical reckoning of time as well as the our modern calendar.

One other piece of important chronological information related to Herod’s death is worth noting here. The Megillath Ta’anith, also called the Scroll of Fasting, which was written during the 1st century indicates that Herod died on the 1st Shevat. (Megillath Taanith  xi, 1 – Warsh Edition)  In the chart below (left) you will see this date noted relative to the other chronological information. (Please click on (left lower) image to enlarge)

Herod_Eclipse_4BC

In conclusion I believe the eclipse mentioned by Josephus is the astronomical event which occurred on March 13, 4 BC. Following this eclipse Herod’s illness progressed and resulted in his death early in the year 3 BC. Shortly thereafter the Jewish people revolted during the Passover of 3 BC. This evidence adds weight to the Biblical evidence developed in The Messiah Factors (Part 1 & 2) which shows that Yeshua was conceived in the winter of 5 BC and was born nine months later in the fall of 4 BC. For more on the month of Yeshua’s birth see my article The Course of Abijah.

                                *   *   *

I should note here that scholars have proposed a total of four eclipses which for various reasons might fulfill the record mentioned in Ant. 17. They are as follows:

1.Sept. 15, 5 B.C.
2. March 13, 4 B.C.
3. Jan. 10, 1 B.C.
4. Dec. 29, 1 B.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Jubilee Code

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Rams-horn-BlowerMy previous articles on The Messiah Factors made the case that the list of names in Matthew 1 was a purposeful arrangement of Yeshua’s lineage in order to show that He was indeed the Messiah promised in the Old Testament Scriptures.  Not only did Matthew 1 provided us with the Messiah Factors of 13 & 14 but he also gave us a list of 41 names. These names, starting with Abraham and ending with Yeshua, represented 41 generations. My present article will explore the possibility that these 41 names are also the key to an even more far reaching prophetic picture. A panoramic view if you will, of YHWH’s redemptive plan for all mankind beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. 

Years ago, in early 2000, I became interested in long term economic cycles. I researched Kondratiev  cycles, Elliott Waves, Armstrong Pi cycles, and Gann’s famous cycle work. The men for whom these cycle studies were named  believed that human socio/economic behavior had some level of underlying order. Being one who actually believes the Bible to be an accurate representation of past history I wondered if I could find evidence of socio/economic cycles in the Bible. After all the Bible is full of historical records which describe bountiful harvests and great famines, great wars, and mass migrations. 

According to the Biblical record, about 3500 years ago YHWH instituted three definable socio/economic cycles which governed the lives of the Hebrew people.  These cycles were the daily Sabbath cycle of 6 days labor and 1 day rest; a similar yearly Sabbath cycle which concerned the use of land and Hebrew servitude; and a 50 year Jubilee cycle which governed the use of debt, slavery, and service. To make a long story short I wondered if these cycles had possibly left an echo which could still be measured in our present era. What I found changed my macro view of the Bible and set my course on path to the discovery of what I call the Jubilee Code.

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After the Exodus, one of the commandments YHWH gave Moses was a set of instructions which called for the canceling of all debts and release of all slaves in the year following 7 completed (yearly) Sabbath cycle (7×7 = 49+1). This 50th year, a “year of release” was celebrated on the Day of Atonement and became known41_Jubilees_Cycles as the Yowbel or Jubilee. (For more information on the Jubilee see my article The First Jubilee.) I found that these Jubilee cycles marked important events in the chronology of the Old Testament especially as it related to YHWH’s redemptive plan for mankind through Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.   My articles on the Messiah Factors showed that Matthew 1 was the key which unlocked the prophecy of Daniel 9. A prophecy which bridged the five centuries between the Old & New Testaments. The first verse of the New Testament reads: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”. This verse establishes Yeshua’s connection to both Abraham and king David. As given the list shows 41 generations between Abraham and Yeshua.  What is most exciting from a chronological perspective is that the Old Testament also describes 41 Jubilee cycles between Abraham and Yeshua. Yes, you heard that right! The list of Matthew was arranged to show Yeshua’s lineage as a series of Jubilee cycles. Further adding to the importance of this discovery is that there are also 41 Jubilee cycles between Adam and Abraham. The chart to the right gives a panoramic view of 41 Jubilee cycles and its relationship to the chronology of the Bible.

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The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, described the adoption of the Gentiles into the family of God through Yeshua. Paul states that YHWH, “when the fullness of time was come” sent his Son (Yeshua) to redeem mankind.

 Galatians 3:29 – 4:5  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.   Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Jubilee&70Years 

If there was one theme I tried to show in my articles on the Messiah Factors it was that Daniel 9 was a prophecy of the coming Messiah as part of YHWH’s redemptive plan for all mankind. If we take a look at this theme in light of the Jubilee Code we see that indeed Yeshua came in the “fullness of time“.

When YHWH caused Judah to be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in 604 BC, this event began the period of 70 years captivity as prophesied by Jeremiah. (Jer. 25:11-12) What makes these 70 years stand out is that they began in the 70th Jubilee cycle from Adam. Shortly after the 1st captivity of Judah began, Ezekiel (Eze. 8-10)  records the departure of the Shekinah from the Temple and Jerusalem. 70 years later YHWH announces that His Divine anger had ended and He had returned to Jerusalem “with mercies“.

Zechariah 1:12-16  Then the angel of YHWH answered and said, O YHWH of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?  And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.  o the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.  And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.   Therefore thus saith YHWH ; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

This period of Divine anger also began in the 70th Jubilee cycle. If you read my article The Fifth Command you recognize Zechariah 1:16 above as the Divine command “to restore and build Jerusalem“. The very command which started the Seventy Weeks of Daniel 9 and began the countdown to the Messiah. Take a look again at the chart above. Not only did the 70 years of Divine anger begin in the 70th Jubilee cycle but it ended exactly on the 71st Jubilee celebration. Further, since the first and last year of the Jubilee cycle overlap this year also marked the start of the 72nd Jubilee cycle. This year (520 BC) marked the half way point to the 144th Jubilee and the start of the 8th millennium. In other words, the Divine command which began the Countdown to the Messiah was given at the mid-point in a 7000 year plan of YHWH.

The third set of 70 years began in the 70th Jubilee with the destruction of Solomon’s temple. This 70 years period ended with the completion of the 2nd temple and its dedication in 516/515 BC during the reign of Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes.

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The Jubilee Code also provides a unique perspective on YHWH’s desire to dwell with mankind. After the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the Tabernacle was completed in the wildness under the instructions of Moses as given by YHWH.  A short time later YHWH’s “glory” entered the Tabernacle. It was from this “glory” that YHWH spoke to Moses:

Exodus 40:34 – Leviticus 1:1  Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of YHWH filled the tabernacle.  ….  And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: … For the cloud of YHWH was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.  And YHWH called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation…

After Solomon’s Temple was completed the “glory” or Shekinah presence of YHWH entered the Temple for a period of time. As we learned above the Shekinah left Solomon’s temple before its destruction and then just 70 years later YHWH had “returned to Jerusalem with mercies.” At some point YHWH’s “mercies” again left Jerusalem and His dwelling with mankind took the form of His Son Yeshua. Each one of these events began in a specific Jubilee cycle as you can see in the chart below.

JubileeTempleYHWHJohn 1:14   And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore YHWH himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

 Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

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In Part III of the Messiah Factors I looked at YHWH’s redemptive plan for mankind in terms of the promised “seed”. This promise took on new meaning when YHWH made His covenant with Abraham. The background to this covenant is a wonderful story of faith, doubt, and promise. As the Bible records, Abram and Sarai were not able to conceive children, yet YHWH had promised Abram to make of him a great nation. Finally after much heart ache and missteps (by Abram and Sarai) YHWH appeared to Abram in the 99th year of his life (Abram’s 2nd Jubilee) and told him that he and Sarai would conceive a child at “set time” (mow’ed) the following year. To make his point YHWH changed Abram’s name to Abraham. The name Abram had meant “exalted father” but YHWH wanted to made sure Abram understood his true purpose so He changed it to Abraham which meant “father of a multitude“. It is important to note here that both Abram and Sarah were past the years of producing children but by faith they believed the promise of YHWH.

Hebrews 11:8-13 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;….Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ….These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Genesis 17:17-19 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?  And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!   And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Because of Sarah’s and Abraham’s faith YHWH did make of Isaac a great nation. The Jubilee Code again offers a wonderful perspective on these events.

YHWH’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled just as He had promised. Isaac was born the following year at the “set time” or mow’ed. This year did indeed mark a very special time because Isaac’s birth fell right on the 43rd Jubilee. Later to test Abraham’s faith, YHWH asked him to sacrifice Isaac, his son. Abraham’s faith in YHWH’s promise, as expressed to his “young men” and his son, was a wonderful testimony to his belief. Read the passage below and see if you don’t agree.

 40_Jubilee_Cycles Genesis 22:2-8 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  And Abraham rose up early in the morning,…Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,…. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:….

YHWH’s sacrificial provision in place of Isaac was a picture of the future Messiah who would someday pay the price for mankind’s sins. 39 Jubilee cycles later that picture was fulfilled in Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah. The next Jubilee cycle, exactly  40 Jubilee  cycles from Isaac’s birth the sacrificial system was brought to a close with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem (69-70 AD). Those events marked the beginning of what Yeshua described as the Times of the Gentiles in Luke 21:

Luke 21:24-25  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.   And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

 Romans 2:9-11  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 11:1-27 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. ……… (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. …….I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ….. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:   For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

The times of the Gentiles is only temporary. According to both Yeshua and the apostle Paul, at the end of this period of time Yeshua will return and “all” Israel shall be saved. From the point when the covenant was first confirmed with Abraham at the birth of his son Isaac, YHWH kept His covenant with the “seed” of Abraham for a period of 40 Jubilees. Today we are living in the 40th Jubilee cycle of the Times of the Gentiles.  If YHWH intended for The Times of the Gentiles to be equal to the 40 Jubilees which proceeded it then we are truly living in the “last days” before the return of Yeshua.

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Final Thoughts

Towards the end of the next decade several Biblical cycles converge. My article After Two Days showed that the apostle Peter, when comforting his Jewish brethren concerning the coming of Yeshua told them that “one day with God {YHWH} is as a thousand years“. I showed that this phrase was a reference to the prophecy in Hosea 6. About the same time as the “two days” of Peter ends the 123 Jubilee cycle from Adam completes. The 40th Jubilee of the Times of the Gentiles described above also coincides with the end of the 123rd Jubilee cycle from Adam. It’s worth considering here the words of Yeshua in Mark 13 and Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5. Both describe the events leading up to the 2nd coming (during the Times of the Gentiles) in terms of birth pangs. A woman’s pregnancy is normally 40 weeks. 

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

  Authors Note: The information developed in this article is based upon over twenty years of research. The chronology involved took two years to complete in charted form. For those who would like to see the Biblical basis for the Jubilee Code you will find a PDF chart of chronology here: Chronology of the Old Testament.  Please note this chronology is based upon the MT text of the Scriptures. Though the chart itself is solely my own effort I often turned to some of the great chronologists of the past and present to try and work out the chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah. I’ve appreciatively walked in the footsteps of the following giants of Biblical chronology: Ussher, Rawlinson, Newton, Rutherford, Davidson, and Jones. Please do your own due diligence as a Berean. Please note that the dates in this article should be understood within the context of the Jubilee & Sabbath cycles given. The dates are not a prediction of the Rapture or the 2nd coming of Yeshua.

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The Messiah Factors (Part I): Decoding 13 & 14

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If YHWH intended to leave irrefutable proof of a coming Messiah, what do you think it would look like? Would we recognize it if he did? In this article I am going to look for that proof. Proof, I believe, can be found in what I call the Messiah Factors.

If you’ve read any of the articles at this blog, you know I have spent a great deal of time building a congruent picture of the 2nd temple era and Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s place in it. By now most of you have realized this chronology is indispensable to an accurate understanding of the prophecy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks. In my article The Fifth Command I showed there is only one “commandment” which could have possibly begun the countdown to the coming of the Messiah as described in Daniel 9.  That “commandment” was the Divine command given by YHWH in the 2nd year of Darius, “the great” Artaxerxes, circa 520 B.C. For the next five centuries the Scriptures are silent until that silence is broken by these words of the apostle Matthew:
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
 Think about that for a moment. Five centuries of silence bridged only by an amazing prophecy about the coming of the Messiah.

The first chapter of the first book of New Testament rightly establishes the lineage of Yeshua as a son of David and Abraham. As I hinted at in my article, The New Testament Cipher, there is much more to the lineage of Yeshua in Matthew 1 than meets the eye.  Let’s take a look. I believe this simple list of names is one of the greatest proofs that Yeshua is the Messiah promised in the Scripture.  Take a moment to look at the chart below. A couple of points which have caused scholars no end of debate are worth noting here. First the list is described by Matthew as three sets of 14 generations each (14+14+14). Yet, when all the names are counted there are only 41 (14+14+13).  Notice in the 3rd column, Yeshua is listed as the 13th generation. Symbolically, Yeshua upon his resurrection, becomes the 14th generation and completes the list.

Another point of contention for scholars over the centuries has been the fact that four Old Testament kings are missing from the lineage of Yeshua. In the list below they are represented by two red lines.  Further below in the single column the missing kings are listed as they should have appeared in the list.  What immediately becomes apparent is the names are missing in two peculiar places.  Their omission brings attention to the numbers 13 & 14. Also, as you will see shortly, the single missing name between the 13th and 14th generation is not an accident. That missing king happens to be Jehoiakim.  In Daniel 1:1-6 it states that Daniel was taken captive during the reign of this Jehoiakim.  Keep that peculiar fact in mind.

In summary then, we have a lineage of Yeshua which was purposely arranged to show that He was both the 13th & 14th generation. Further it brings attention, in a subtle manner, to those same numbers in relation to a young Judean captive who would someday record the greatest Messianic prophecy in the Scripture.  It is here, in this strange list of Yeshua’s generations that we first find evidence of the Messiah Factors. Did you know that this is not the only place in the Biblical record where they are found? Lineage of Yeshua Matt 1

                 
We found the Messiah Factors in Matthew 1, now we will look for them in the record of his birth as given by Luke. If you’ve read my article The Course of Abija you know that it provides us with the only place in the entire New Testament where we can reasonably identify the timing of the birth of Yeshua. For the sake of brevity I won’t reproduce the entire article here. But in short, based upon the time of the conception of John and the priestly service of his father Zacharias (during the course of Abija) we can determine the month of the Messiah’s birth. Take a look at the list below. Can you find the Messiah Factors?

In John 1:14 it talks about Yeshua as the “word” that was made flesh and “dwelt” or tabernacle with mankind. Based upon Luke 1 and the course of Abija it shows that in fact Yeshua was born during the 13 or 14 priestly course of service most likely during the feast of Tabernacles. Those courses were most appropriately called Huppah (Canopy) and Jeshebeab (Dwelling of the Father). Now how awesome is that!  (For more details please see my article The Course of Abija)

Isaiah 7:14 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Course_Of_Abijah

While we’re on the subject of the Feast of Tabernacles, there is another place where the Messiah Factors are hidden.  In this case they are hidden in the “Burnt Offering” sacrifices which YHWH commanded Israel to make in Numbers 29:13. Keep in mind the reference as you will find it is another one of those “coincidences” which we find associated with this subject.  In Numbers 29 YHWH gave Moses some unusual instructions concerning the Burnt Offering (burnt = ascent) sacrifices for the first seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles. Take a look at the chart below. On the first day there are 13 Bullocks, 2 Rams, & 14 Lambs for a total of 29 sacrifices. Also notice that the Bullock sacrifices are offered in a descending order from 13>7 for a total of 70.  Notice above in the linage of Yeshua that 7th to 13th names in the list are set out by the missing names. As you will see this was not an accident. The total number of Burnt Offerings for the first seven days is equal to 182 (13×14).  Clearly these numbers are all intentional but what do they mean? I asked you above to remember the reference Numbers 29:13. Now I am going to ask you to remember the numbers 13, 14, 29 and 70. Shortly you will see why they are so important.

Burnt Offering Sacrifice

After reading my articles on Ezra: Priest and Scribe, Nehemiah: The Governor, or The “Artaxerxes” Assumption some of you must be asking yourselves why Christian chronologists have failed to address the chronology of Ezra and Nehemiah in terms of the 2nd temple era.  The simple answer is they believe; there is no other way to prove that Yeshua fulfills the prophecy of Daniel 9 unless Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries of Artaxerxes Longimanus. Out of necessity they made an assumption which few of them thought necessary to verify.

What if there was a more elegant solution which was intimately connected to the religious calendar of the Jewish people, the very calendar YHWH gave to Israel through Moses.  As I showed in my article Ezekiel’s 13th Month, Biblical time as understood during the 2nd temple era was based upon a lunar/solar calendar. Most years their religious calendar had 12 months of 29.53 days for a total of 354.36 days per year. Once every third year or so they had a 13th month of 29.53 days which made the year 383.89 days long . Any of these “Numbers” look familiar?

For a moment put yourself in the shoes of the 2nd temple era Judeans. How did they keep track of their religious calendar? How did they know when it was time to keep Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles?  Their “mow’ed” or appointed days were regulated by “lights in the firmament” as described in Genesis 1:14. Each month they watched the 29.53 day lunar cycle to determine where they were in YHWH calendar. For thousands of years that cycle has had 13 or 14 days of waxing light followed by 13 or 14 days of waning light.  2 cycles of 13 or 14 days of visible light in every 29.53 day cycle.  Take a look again at Numbers 29:13 and the Burnt offering sacrifices.

Every time I look at this information it still thrills me. Years ago I remember reading about the next big thing in corporate advertising. The idea was to put huge solar powered billboards in space which could be seen by us on earth.  We’ll, YHWH beat them to it. Since recorded history He has been broadcasting the Messiah Factors for all who have eyes to see.  These very numbers which are closely associated with Yeshua. Can’t help but think of the words of King David. He sure had it right:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  Psalm 19:1-3

There are two more places I would like to look for the Messiah Factors before I move on to part II of this article. The first is found in what some  might call another coincidence. I will let you decide.

How many of you remember Ephesian 2:13-14 where Paul talks about the “middle wall of partition” between Jews and Gentiles?

Ephesians 2:13-14  13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

This wall was a partition build between the Court of the Gentiles and the Temple proper. On pain of death no Gentile could enter the inner court of the temple. Paul describes how the blood of Yeshua, in a symbolic sense, granted Gentiles access to the presence of YHWH once only reserved for the Jewish people. What is so fascinating about these verses is that during the time of Yeshua the “middle wall of partition” was accessed by 14 steps and entry was granted by one of 13 gates.

I am sure with time we will find more evidences of the Messiah Factors, but in this article I want to address just one more. To me what I am going to show you convinces me YHWH has an awesome sense of humor.  According to mathematicians Pi is an irrational number whose decimal representation never ends. Pi express the relationship between a circles circumference and its diameter.  For centuries mathematicians have tried to solve or explain its nature but have been unable to do so. In the Bible the number 7 represent divine perfection. Curiously in Numbers 29:13 we saw the numbers 7, 13, 14 and 29 featured prominently. What are the odds the first 7 numbers of Pi, reversed, gives us the same values? The very same values which have been expressed in the cycles of the moon for thousands of years.

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971

Here you go: 295/14/13. Funny where the Messiah Factors turn up, don’t you think? Just to make it a little more interesting, note that the first 7 found in Pi is in the 13th decimal digit. Then next 7 is found in the 29th  decimal digit. And just for you skeptics, it just happens to be between the 2 & the 9. The third 7 of Pi is found in the 39th decimal digit (13×3).

So does all of this have some purpose or is it just a big coincidence as skeptics might claim. In my next article, The Messiah Factors (Part II): The Countdown I will show that the numbers 13 & 14 do in fact provide reasonable proof that Yeshua/Jesus was and is the Messiah promised in the Scriptures.

Updated 4/6/2014: For more evidence of the Messiah Factors I encourage you to read my latest article The 14th Sacrifice. Did you know there were 13/14 sacrifices in the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Take a look and see what you think.

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The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

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Book 2
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Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

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Book 3 - Description

The Jubilee Code -
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More Articles related to the prophecy of 70 Weeks and 2nd temple era chronology:
The “Artaxerxes” Assumption – The best kept secret of Old Testament chronology.
The Fifth Command – Why do prophecy teachers ignore it?
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part I – Defining “Artaxerxes” in the context of Ezra.
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part II – Ezra, Darius even “Artaxerxes”.
Nehemiah: The Governor– Nehemiah’s place in the 2nd temple chronology
Queen of Persia – Part I – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
Queen of Persia – Part II – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
A New Testament Cipher – The key to unlocking the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 Weeks.
Ezekiel’s 13th Month– Key to understanding Biblical “time” in the 2nd Temple era
6 milestones – Seventy Weeks – Defining the purpose of the Messiah within Daniel’s 70 “weeks”.
The Messiah Factors (Part I): Decoding 13 & 14 – Symbolism of the Messiah

Ezekiel’s 13th Month

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Ezekiel-by-Michael-Angilo

Have you ever wondered about the Biblical definition of time?  Most scholars trace the origins of Biblical time to Genesis 1:14:

Genesis 1:14  14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

From this verse we see the origins of the daily and yearly cycles. The verse also indicates that the “lights in the firmament” are for “signs” and “seasons”.  The word “signs” comes from the Hebrew ‘owth {oth}  which means sign, signal or remembrance.  The word “season” comes from the Hebrew mow’ed {mo-ade’} which means an appointed place, appointed time, sacred season, or appointed meeting.   The first usage of mow’ed after Gen. 1:14 is when YHWH promises Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son the following year at the mow’ed or set time. After that mow’ed is used to describe the Biblical holy days as given by YHWH to Moses and Israel. In the book of Exodus, we learn these holy days or mow’ed are counted based upon the lunar cycle.

Sun-Dial-2

So in summary Genesis specifically identifies the “lights in the firmament” as the means by which the daily and yearly cycles are regulated. These “lights” are for “signs” and “seasons” which further defines Biblical time in terms of the lunar cycles.

Having said that, did you know there is no place in the Scripture which specifically spells out the relationship between the lunar/solar cycle and their intercalations as they relate to the Biblical calendar? While this may seem confusing to us it is important to remember the context. I dare say many of us have never looked up at the moon in the night sky and thought of it in terms of where it was at in its lunar cycle.  Back during the Biblical era it was known intuitively. Everyone back then knew there were 13 or 14 days of waxing light followed by 13 or 14 days of waning light. The moon was their calendar! It was such a part of their existence it didn’t have to be explained. That is the real reason you will not find the lunar/solar cycles explained in relation to the Biblical calendar. In order to find any evidence of the relationship between the lunar cycle and solar year we have to look beneath the surface of the Biblical record.

The only place (that I am aware of) which gives any evidence for an intercalated lunar/solar cycle is found in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 1-4, YHWH uses the prophet Ezekiel to give Israel and Judah an object lesson. YHWH instructs Ezekiel to lay on his side 390 days for the sins of Israel. He goes on to instruct him to lay on his other side for 40 days for the sins of Judah. These unusual instructions provide us a rare opportunity to define the lunar/solar calendar and its intercalations.
Sun-Dial-6

In the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, in the 5th day of the 4th month, Ezekiel was given commanded to lay on his left side for 390 days for the iniquity of Israel.  Following this he was commanded to lay on his right side for 40 days for the house of Judah.  This was a total of 430 days.

In the 6th month of the following year after completing his object lesson Ezekiel was sitting in his house with some of the elders of Judah.   From this gathering YHWH physically took Ezekiel and showed him the departure of the Shekinah from Jerusalem. (Eze. 8-10)  There are three possible ways to calculate the amount of time between the 4th month of Ezekiel’s 5th year and the 6th month of his 6th year. They are listed in the chart below:

Ezekiels 430 Days

 

Only the 3rd option allows for the necessary time given the chronological evidence provided in the text. In order for Ezekiel to have lain on his side for 430 days, the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity must have had an intercalary or 13th month.  Incidentally this is of great value to the chronologist who is interested in synchronizing the lunar/solar cycle in terms of the macro chronological record.  As far as I know this is the only place in the Scripture which provides evidence of an intercalary month.  Contextually, this shows that during the captivity period the Jewish people understood time in the sense of an intercalated lunar/solar calendar.  Their religious calendar was normally 12 lunar months of 29.53 days each followed by an intercalary or 13th month every 2 or 3 years.

In a symbolic sense the rising and setting of the sun regulated man’s labor and rest throughout the solar year. The lunar cycle on the other hand regulated the religious calendar and its mow’eds (appointed times). These two cycles were synchronized by the 13th Month.

Authors note: On the subject of time and calendars, some today claim the 30 day months of Genesis shows that a different calendar was used pre-flood. Some even suggest that the length of the lunar or solar cycles were substantially different that they are today.  Based on my own research I do not believe this to be the case. There is evidence which shows that ancient Egypt did in fact have a 30 day month in their calendar. Here is the catch. Their records indicate they realized they were 5 days short of a complete solar cycle. This they called “5 days over the year”.   Some of their dynasties intercalated this 30 day monthly calendar and added an additional month every 5 or 6 years.  Others made no intercalations and from them we get a “wandering” calendar where their months began to wander in the solar cycle,  no longer rooted in the reality of the seasons. 

For those who use this 30 day month to calculate the Prophecy of Daniel’s Seventy weeks it would be good to keep the above information in mind.

Book 1
Book I - Description

The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

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Book 2
Book 2 - Description

Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

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Book 3
Book 3 - Description

The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

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More Articles related to the prophecy of 70 Weeks and 2nd temple era chronology:
The “Artaxerxes” Assumption – The best kept secret of Old Testament chronology.
The Fifth Command – Why do prophecy teachers ignore it?
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part I – Defining “Artaxerxes” in the context of Ezra.
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part II – Ezra, Darius even “Artaxerxes”.
Nehemiah: The Governor– Nehemiah’s place in the 2nd temple chronology
Queen of Persia – Part I – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
Queen of Persia – Part II – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
A New Testament Cipher – The key to unlocking the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 Weeks.
Ezekiel’s 13th Month– Key to understanding Biblical “time” in the 2nd Temple era
6 milestones – Seventy Weeks – Defining the purpose of the Messiah within Daniel’s 70 “weeks”.
The Messiah Factors (Part I): Decoding 13 & 14 – Symbolism of the Messiah
The Messiah Factors (Part II): The Countdown – Proving Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah promised in Daniel 9.

 

Ezekiel 4:4-6  4 Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.  5 For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.  6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

Ezekiel 1:1-3  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.  2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,  3 The word of YHWH came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of YHWH was there upon him.

Ezekiel 8:1  And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord YHWH fell there upon me.