Category Archives: Jubilee and Sabbath Cycles

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Reversing Hermon in Matthew 1

Regular readers of my blog are aware of the inspired genius Matthew concealed in the lineage of Yeshua when he wrote that intriguing list of names. As I’ve explained over the years, that list of 41 names is an important key to understanding the significance of the Bible’s messianic symbolism as it relates to the Old Testament’s sacrificial system, the Bible’s lunar/solar calendar, Daniel 9, and YHWH’s redemptive plan for mankind. As I’ve briefly discussed in several blog posts, that list also has a larger context related to Old Testament chronology, the Shemitah, and the jubilee cycles.

This past week I was thrilled to learn that Dr. Michael Heiser’s new book Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers & the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ also showcases the messianic significance of Matthew 1 in a thrilling new way. I’ll get to Dr. Heiser’s information in a moment, Continue reading →

Zion and a Jubilee of Jubilees

Today, many students of Bible prophecy see the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland as one of the “super” signs, that our generation is living in the season of Yeshua’s return. There are some Christians today though, who believe that YHWH’s promises to the Jewish people were superseded by the Church and that the nation of Israel today is nothing more than a historical coincidence helped along by overzealous believers who take Bible prophecy too literally.

This past month I’ve had the privilege of reading two excellent books which address this subject. The first was written by Samuel Whitefield entitled – One King: A Jesus-Centered Answer to the Question of Zion and the People of God, the second was by Thomas Ice entitled – The Case for Zionism: Why Christians Should Support Israel. Both books were well written but from slightly different perspectives.

Mr. Whitefield’s book looked at the subject from a more theological and Biblically based perspective while Mr. Ice’s looked at the subject from a Biblical and a historically legal sense. Although, the authors come at the subject from slightly different theological perspectives, their books complement each other and together make a compelling case for the nation of Israel as a fulfilment of Bible prophecy.

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Today, I want to look at the subject of Zion and restoration of Israel in terms of the Bible’s chronology and the Jubilee cycles. As you will see, Israel’s restoration to the Promised Land as an independent nation was not coincidence, Continue reading →

Are 2015, 2016, or 2017 Jubilee Years?

The Biblical jubilee has gained a substantial amount of attention in Bible prophecy circles the last few years causing some to speculate that the years 2015, 2016, or 2017 might in fact be a Jubilee year. Books, like Jonathan Cahn’s: Mystery of the Shemitah or Gidon Ariel and Bob O’Dell’s: Israel First!, really got people thinking about the jubilee and Sabbath cycles as they relate to the Bible’s prophetic record. While this attention to the subject is welcome and needed, there still remains Continue reading →

41 Generations to the Messiah

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Fibonacci Sequence

One of my favorite prophetic passages in the Bible is found in Isaiah 46:9-10. It’s a statement by YHWH, the living God of the Bible, that He is God and there is none like Him. In this wonderful passage, YHWH is talking to Israel contrasting Himself with the Babylonian gods, Bel and Nebo, which had been unable to save ancient Babylon and its inhabitants from captivity.

To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?…

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Isaiah 46:5, 9-10

Did you catch that? The first evidence YHWH uses to prove to Israel that Bel and Nebo are not His equals is the fact that He tells the end from the beginning. In other words He knows the future. This foreknowledge of the future is one way YHWH sets Himself apart from other gods and elevates the Bible above other religious texts. Continue reading →

The Shemitah Factor

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The Bible tells us that the “spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus” (Rev.19:10) . Today many are concerned about the prophetic significance of the Shemitah as it relates to the financial markets but is this really where our focus should be? Don’t get me wrong, I do believe there is prophetic significance to the Shemitah and Jubilee cycles, but like every prophetic subject in the Bible they must first be filtered through the “spirit of prophecy”. The Bible describes the Jubilee and Shemitah cycles as special events where debts are canceled, land is returned to its original owners, and captives are set free. In Luke 4 Yeshua (Jesus) shows how he was in part a prophetic fulfillment of Shemitah and Jubilee law.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord…. This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:18-21

The Spirit of the Lord YHWH is upon me; because YHWH hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH, Isaiah 61:1-2

While there may in fact be an echo of the Shemitah in today,s financial markets, the real beauty of the Shemitah is that is shows YHWH’s hand in history as He reconciles mankind to Himself through Yeshua.

In the Bible during the Shemitah year not only were Jewish slaves set free, but the law was read publically to all the people during the Feast of Tabernacles. Evidence for the Shemitah is found several places in the Biblical record, but two of the most notable were the 10th year of Zedekiah and the 20-21^st year of Nehemiah’s “Artaxerxes”. Here take a look:

And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,When all Israel is come to appear before YHWH thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Deuteronomy 31:10-11

This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from YHWH, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; ⁹ That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. Jeremiah 34:8-9

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. Nehemiah 8:17-18

In a Biblical context, the Shemitah was a year of rededication as well as a test of Israel’s faith in YHWH. You see, Israel was not allowed to go about their normal agricultural activities during the 7^th year (Shemitah) so they had to rely on YHWH’s provision in the 6^th year of that seven year cycle. If Israel kept the yearly Sabbath cycle as commanded in Lev. 25 then YHWH promised to provide enough bounty in the 6^th year to last all the way to the 9^th year. Keep in mind though that in order to receive the blessing in the 6^th year Israel had to make the commitment to keep the Shemitah (the 7^th year) as proscribed by YHWH.

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But what about the Shemitah and the US stock market? Does the Shemitah really portend financial calamity as some are claiming?

Here is a chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). For those who don’t know, the DJIA represent the top 30 companies in the US.

Click on Image for full sized version:

In the chart above I’ve taken the starting and ending dates of the Shemitah as described in Mr. Cahn’s best selling book The Mystery of the Shemitah and overlaid them on the DJIA. For those who have read my blog regularly, you know my own reckoning of Sabbath and Jubilee cycles, based upon the Bible’s chronology, differs by a year from Mr. Cahn’s. Be that as it may, the above chart reflects Mr. Cahn’s dating scheme because Mr. Cahn’s dates are what many commentators are using to stir up what I believe to be unreasonable expectations for this September.

So if you’ve looked at the chart you will see that in fact there does appear to be a seven year cycle reflected in the DJIA. I know most of us think the market events of the past 15 years were extreme, but notice, the years 1900-1940 were far more extreme on a relative percentage basis. The DJIA in the first several decades of the 20th century was far more volatile than what we have experienced in the first decades of the 21st century. Although the stock market “crashes” of ’87, 2001, and 2008 were large, point wise they were actually quite average based upon a 100 years history of the DJIA.

Now for those who believe financial Armageddon is coming this September I think it should be pointed out that in the vast majority of the cases where the DJIA has corrected during the 7th year of the cycle, it has gone on to a higher level in the next Shemitah cycle regardless of the severity of the correction in the preceding cycle. In fact one of the best times to buy stocks over the last 100 years appears to have been in the weeks following a correction in the 7^th year of the cycle.

Now I know that the US is on an financially unsustainable course’ but the reality of the matter is our nation is better off than most of the world. That is why despite the horrible financial news out of Europe, China, the Middle East, and elsewhere the US stock and bond markets continue to absorb money. The world has nowhere else to go. Yeah, I know, I’ve read the rumors, too; China, Russia, Arab nations, or some combination thereof are going to establish a gold backed currency to compete with the US. This may be a possibility over time but right now no other nation on earth can even come close to American’s financial influence. American’s stock, bond, and currency markets are the only place in the world at the present time with enough liquidity to handle the trillions of dollars in global money flow. Take a look at the following chart via Marketwatch.com. It shows the relative size of the nations based upon market capitalization.

(Click on Image to enlarge)
Notice, Russia, China, and Turkey combined have a smaller market cap than Germany. Notice also that the US is 16 times larger than Germany. Simply put, the US is where the money flows. We are the 19,000 pound Gorilla in the room. Those predicting America’s overnight demise in a one off currency or stock market crash are frankly not looking at the big picture. America’s stock, bond, and currency markets don’t just lead the rest of the world’s they dominate them. It is naive to believe that this is going to change any time soon.

Here is the reality of the Shemitah and the US stock market. As the above 100 year chart of the DJIA average shows, the Shemitah simply has had no lasting impact on the US financial markets. Those, predicting it will this time, have over a hundred years of history against them.

Beyond the fear and hype some are stirring, the real damage done here has been the obscuring of the Messianic context of the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles. As the apostle Paul said, the law (including the Shemitah and Jubilee and Sabbath instructions) are but a “shadow of things to come”. The Bible’s instruction about the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles are not meant to predict the next financial crisis, but rather they point us to the coming Messiah and His ultimate fulfillment of those underlying Shemitah and Jubilee pictures at His 2^nd coming.

This September instead of gluing ourselves to the TV waiting for some earth shaking calamity which is unlikely to happen why don’t we following the example of Israel when they celebrated the Shemitah during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Why don’t we, our friends, and families commit to reading aloud the words of the living God of the Bible. Words which provide hope not hype, comfort and not fear. Words which tell us how we can be set free from our servitude to sin and last but not least, words which tell us of a day when Yeshua will rule this earth in righteousness.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Luke 1:68-75

Now that is a Shemitah worth looking forward to!

Food For Thought:
For those interested here are two charts in which I overlaid the Shemitah-Gold and the Shemitah-Dollar. Click on Images to Enlarge

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Sabbath & Jubilee Cycles – Part I

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Ram’s Horn Trumpet

Part I – The Spirit vs the Letter
With the publishing of Jonathan Cahn’s new book, Mystery of the Shemitah, I’m thrilled to see one of my favorite aspects of Biblical history receiving a lot more attention. Those of you who follow my Twitter stream or read the articles here at my blog already know that I am passionate about Bible chronology as it relates to our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua, the promised Messiah. In my opinion, using the chronology provided in the Scripture, a reasonable and compelling case can be made that YHWH set the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in motion at creation to show us his guiding hand in history. To those willing to look, there is evidence from the very beginning that YHWH planned to send forth his Son when the “fullness of time was come”.

Galatians 4:3-5 ³ Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ⁴ But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, ¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Now I think it is only fair to acknowledge that I do not agree with several of the more secular propositions Mr. Cahn makes in his book the Mystery of the Shemitah. But contrary to the claims of many of his critics there is reasonable Biblical evidence with which we can calculate the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles in the Bible. I believe constructive criticism, in the spirit of brotherly love, to be an important part of being a Berean. What I find detrimental to any real understanding of the truth are those critics who out of misguided ignorance or a little self righteous arrogance make blanket generalizations about a subject such as the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles.

For those who don’t know where to start but would like to research this subject for yourselves, I’ll share with you in Part II of this series, several synchronisms which will provide you with the background information you’ll need to build your own opinion about the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. As with any Biblical topic, please give this subject the respect it deserves by showing a Berean’s stewardship.

Proverbs 25:2 ² It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Spirit vs the Letter
Before we explore the specific historical and chronological evidence for the Biblical Sabbath and Jubilee cycles I think it is important to understand the principles behind these cycles. While many of Mr. Cahn’s critics point to the fact that the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles were only given to Israel, they fail to provide a balanced perspective which shows us how the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles are based upon a spiritual principle that is eternal. As the Apostle Paul explained to Timothy, all (Old Testament) Scripture is given by YHWH so that we may be “furnished unto all good works”. So let’s look at the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles in the “spirit of the law” with the instructions of 2 Timothy as our guide.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Sabbath Cycles
In Leviticus 25, YHWH gave instructions to Moses concerning the use of the Promised Land. After the pattern first exemplified by His creative acts in Genesis, he commanded Israel to sow and reap for six years but in the seventh year the land was to rest. Today agricultural science acknowledges the benefit of such a system to all agricultural endeavors. We might call it crop rotation or some other terms but the idea was to not overwork the land. Another way of looking at would be to simply call it good stewardship of what YHWH has given us.

While letting the land rest might be the “letter” of the law given in Lev. 25 it is the spirit of the law which is the most important consideration. The land use requirements were not just for the land. YHWH gave us the earth and all of its bounty to bless mankind. Ultimately the 7^th year was to be a blessing to the slave, maid servant, the hired servant, strangers, and yes, even the animals. You see, these instructions were an example of the type of stewardship YHWH expects of His creation. As a prophetic type they also show us what the millennial rule of the Messiah will be like after mankind’s 6000 years of labor are over. During that final 1000 years, that great 7^th day, mankind under the leadership of Yeshua will see this typology fulfilled.

Leviticus 25:6-7 ⁶ And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee, ⁷ And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.

Jubilee Cycles
Adding another layer to the Sabbath cycle instructions, YHWH instructed Moses to mark out 7 of these seven year cycles and then in the 50^th year to grant a year of release. At this time all debts were forgiven and captives set free. The stated purpose of this release was so that they would not “oppress one another.” It is worth noting here that Yeshua alluded to this Jubilee release when he stood up in the temple and read part of Isaiah 61 which speaks of the Jubilee release.

Luke 4:17-21 ¹⁷ And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ The Spirit of YHWH is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of YHWH. ²⁰ And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord YHWH is upon me; because YHWH hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; ² To proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Leviticus 25:13-14 ¹³ In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession. ¹⁴ And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another:

In keeping with the spirit of the law, the Jubilee cycle was given as a means to show us how to deal with each other. It prevented those who were rich from accumulating all the wealth into just a few hands. Frankly, it is a sad commentary on the church today that we are so vehemently opposed to the letter of the law that we fail to try and live by the spirit. Claiming liberty we’ve become lawless and in the process our love for each other has become cold.

Romans 7:6-7 ⁶ But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. ⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law:…

Galatians 5:13-14 ¹³ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

I think the words of Yeshua are worth considering as they relate to the spirit vs the letter of the law. In the following passage he describes the conditions on earth before his return. It is sobering to realize that He describes the love shown by humanity towards each other as waxed cold because of “iniquity”. Iniquity in this passage is the Greek work anomia and it means a “condition of without law”. Indeed, the New Testament believer is not “under” the curse of the law, but by the same token, no reasonable Scriptural case can be made for acting lawlessly.

Matthew 24:12 ¹² And because iniquity [lawlessness] shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Matthew 7:21-23 ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [lawlessness]

From my perspective, Sabbath and Jubilee cycles are a reminder of the stewardship YHWH expects us to show towards each other. They are a wonderful case study in seeing how the letter of the law is always based upon a more important principle, a principle which is perfectly summed up in the words of apostles James:

James 2:8 ⁸ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

In Part II of this study we will look for specific evidence of Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. My goal is to provide you will several chronological synchronisms which will help you to based your understanding of this subject on a true Biblical foundation.

Coming soon:
Sabbath and Jubilee Cycles in the Bible
Part II – In Fact and Theory
The 10^th year of Zedekiah
The 21^st year of “Artaxerxes”
The 6^th year of Ezekiel
The 1^st year of Adam

Book 1

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The 13th Enumeration
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The Jubilee Code

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My 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 known 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.

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.

John 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.

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.

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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The 1st Jubilee

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As a student of Biblical history and ancient chronology there are few subjects more elusive and intriguing to me than the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. The following article is part of my research into the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles. It might surprise some of you to learn that the 1^st Jubilee mentioned in the Scripture was a jubilee of days.

As with other of my articles which have graphics and charts I have reproduced this in a series of pictures. If you need it larger for reading you can use (Ctrl +) or just click on each image. I hope you enjoy the article. – William Struse

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