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For all of you who have so patiently waited I am pleased to announce that my novel The 13th Symbol has finally been published. Like Book I & II, this story is a unique blend of history and Bible prophecy intertwined in a thrilling action packed novel.
A Brief Synopsis: When terrorists strike a US Border Patrol outpost in southern Arizona it is but the opening move in a complicate game of international chess which will change the face of American politics forever.
Half a world away Zane Harrison must face his greatest fear when he learns that he has become the focus of the greatest treasure hunt the world has ever known. Can he find the 13th Symbol and the billions in gold it represents before those he loves are destroyed? As events overtake him, Zane must come to terms with his desire for revenge and responsibility to do what is right.
The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One is available at Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
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Sneak Peek: The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One
Prologue
Northern Virginia, 1666
The ebony musket parted the emerald wall of leaves, its smooth octagon barrel invisible in the wet, shimmering foliage, the well-oiled steel securely cradled in a pair of oaken arms. A massive set of antlers filled the ancient weapon’s sights. The hunter paused, his breath held a moment as his bony finger increased pressure on the curved trigger. The finger froze.
A whisper of wind escaped as Francis Pope released his breath and slowly withdrew his weapon from its leafy ambuscade. He waited and watched. Something intangible called to him from the quiet sylvan scene, something he knew better than to ignore.
A minute later his quarry raised its stately antlers from where it had been peacefully grazing. Head erect, the stag looked into the forest opposite Francis and with an amazing leap bounded from the grassy glade where it had been eating its morning meal. A bird rose from the trees where the deer had looked.
Another moment passed, and a line of bronzed figures emerged from the trees and paused at the edge of the clearing. With the same wild attentiveness as the deer, they surveyed the scene. After several minutes they continued, crossing the small park to the other side, where they again stopped. Their destination was an ancient gray crumbled finger of stone, which thrust its defiant tip toward the sun as if to challenge the trees for the right to bathe in its golden rays.
A fire was kindled, a hole dug. Fascinated, Francis Pope watched as the Indians performed their ancient ceremony. He had been told when he purchased the land that it was once an ancient burial ground. Now, looking down from the hill where he was concealed, he knew this to be true.
As he watched, a grizzled old man, whether medicine man or chief he knew not, began to dance and whirl in growing frenzy. Slowly, with ever increasing volume, the dancer wailed the ancient song of death and the afterlife. His body taut, strung tight by the resonant notes that cascaded from his lips, he gave a final leap and a mournful incantation, then silence once more descended upon the scene like a fog whose misty vapors conceal and cool.
An object was placed in the hole, ashes sprinkled in the air. The hole was filled, the fire extinguished. All evidence of the party’s activities erased. One by one, the colorful entourage filed from the park and returned in the direction they had come.
Francis remained fixed to his position, waiting. He had no intention of donating his scalp as an offering to the funeral party’s gods. Pondering, he considered the implications of what he had just witnessed.
“Godless heathen,” he muttered under his breath. He’d bought this land and dedicated it to Mother Church. Yes, he would leave his mark on this land. The hill he stood on was one of seven, and he’d name it Rome; the creek yonder, the Tiber. He smiled to himself proudly. He was Pope Francis of Rome on the Tiber. He had a vision that the land upon which he was standing would be the nucleus for a great empire, that shining city on a hill for which mankind had so long searched in vain.
Francis Pope turned his steps homeward. He was a canny man, and he had seen the future.
* * *
Ninety years later, a young man stood on Rome Hill, his intelligent eyes taking in the scene below him. His knowing gaze saw the potential of the land he was being paid to survey. His mind carved streets out of the wooded land which lay before him. His imagination painted stately buildings and grand thoroughfares. Lord Fairfax would be pleased.
Withdrawing a notebook from his pocket, the young surveyor drew a detailed map and made notes. Pausing, he gazed out over the great trees and grassy parks, a premonition of the future rising, growing in his conscious mind, the sacred ground upon which he was standing once again exerting its invisible influence upon an unwitting visitor.
Gathering his surveying equipment, the young man turned, unaware that this piece of land was part of his destiny. With a final backward glance, George descended Rome Hill ignorant of the fact that he was standing on the future capital of the most powerful nation the world had ever known, a city on seven hills which would someday be named in his honor.
Chapter 1
London, England, Present Day
Reading the report for the third time, Rawlins Dewhurst felt his hands begin to tremble uncontrollably as realization swept over him. Slowly he placed the paper back on his desk, and reaching to loosen his nine-hundred-pound white-and-blue silk tie, he looked balefully out of the corner of his eye at a bar of gold which had been cut in half. Now sitting on his desk like a worthless paperweight, its dull gray core mocked him. With unsteady hands he removed a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit and wiped away the bead of sweat forming on his ice-cold forehead. He was trapped. Trapped by his own ambition, the allure of Sir Peter’s gold, and a mistake.
Rawlins’s pragmatic mind ran through his options. None of them were pleasant. The repercussions were incalculable and the costs damning.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered as he folded his hands and placed them on top of his desk in an effort to stop their shaking. How could he have been so stupid? The bloody gold had ruined him.
The irony was not lost upon him. Barrclays Bank had its origins in the goldsmithing business of James Barrclay in 1690. Now, over three centuries later, it would see its demise due to the single largest gold hoard in history. They had truly come full circle. All because he had been in a hurry to get Sir Peter Herschel’s gold into their London vault.
He knew the axe would fall hardest on him. He had signed off on the partial audit of the gold in order to speed the transfer. His signature was the official Barrclays certification.
As if it were some evil talisman, Rawlins touched the thirteen-pound bar. With effort he lifted the glowing metal and looked at the cut end. This one had been the first, part of the bank’s transaction and storage charge. As per their agreement, Peter Herschel was to pay their fees in bullion. When the bullion was transferred from Sir Peter’s holdings to the bank’s own accounts, a full audit was done on the transferred gold. Each of the gold bars had been tested and the one he was now holding found.
Whoever had made the counterfeit gold bars had done a superb job. The bar he held had been cut in half, exposing its tungsten core. For years they had known about fake tungsten bars, but nothing like what they now held in the vaults below his feet. Gold bugs and conspiracy quacks had been claiming for years that the gold in Fort Knox and other central banks around the world held fake bars. Every time the price of gold dropped, they came out of the woodwork claiming that the powers that be were dumping their gold bullion on the market in an effort to suppress the price. Their ludicrous theory was that as long as central banks could keep the lid on the price of gold, the ignorant masses would keep using the worthless paper currencies of the world. In an effort to disguise their nefarious activities, the banks replaced their dumped gold bullion with fake gold bars, or so the story went.
Rawlins sighed with resignation. “Looks like the conspiracy nuts will have their day in the sun after all,” he muttered.
What made tungsten so attractive as a gold substitute was its density: compared to 24K gold, it was only a .26 percent difference. In small gold coins this discrepancy was visually apparent. A full-sized gold bar, on the other hand, only had a .0017 percent dimensional difference—visually indistinguishable. The best way to determine the real from the fake was by ultrasound.
That was how the fake bar he was holding had been found—after he signed off on the certification of the gold bullion shipment. Due to the amount of gold Peter Herschel had placed under their custodianship and his desire to get it into their vaults as quickly as possible, he had authorized a limited spot check of several dozen bars. Everything had appeared legitimate.
Now, a month later, he had followed the discovery of the first bar with a complete and final audit of the entire shipment of gold. One third of the bars were fake. Barrclays now had to guarantee several hundred billion dollars’ worth of fake gold bars. That was beyond the scope of any modern-day financial institution, let alone the one Rawlins Dewhurst oversaw.
If this information got out, the gold price would spike as traders realized that billions of dollars in gold would have to be bought in order to make good on the fake gold held in Barrclays’ vaults. It would be a vicious cycle: what was several hundred billion dollars of paper loss right now could grow to multiples of that if anyone ever found out.
To make matters worse, about the same time as the discovery, he’d received a phone call from the new president of Iran demanding to know the names of those present at the attempted opening of Sir Peter Herschel’s will. He claimed the new Persian nation had been defrauded by Peter Herschel, and he was going to contest the execution of the will. At first Rawlins had refused to give him any information, but then Darius Zarindast had threatened to leak the information about the gold to the press. How he knew about the fake gold Rawlins had no idea, but in an effort to keep a lid on the information until an audit could be completed, he e-mailed Zarindast the list. Zarindast had promised not to share the information, and to Rawlins’s surprise, he kept his word. But all that didn’t matter now.
Rawlins turned his attention back to the paper sitting on his desk—the report detailing the results of the audit. It was the kiss of death for one of the most respected banking institutions in the world. In the current financial environment, the loss would likely cascade across the London banking industry and ultimately fall upon the shoulders of the British central bank and the Crown. London’s status as the world’s banking center would be no more. All because a greedy little banker named Rawlins Dewhurst had cut a corner. They’d be coming for him, that was for sure; bloody good it would do them.
Rawlins set the fake gold bar back down on the report, leaving the fake side up. Leaning to one side, he opened a drawer in his desk. Calmly he removed a nickel-plated automatic pistol from under the papers at the bottom of the drawer; and placing it to his temple, Rawlins Dewhurst pulled the trigger.
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
For centuries scholars have argued about the lineage of Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 1. This controversial list is the opening statement in the New Testaments case for the Messiah but it is written more like a cipher than straight forward listing of Yeshua’s generations. Scholars have rightfully asked:
Why did the apostle Matthew modify the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1?
Why are there four missing kings?
Why was the list arranged in three 14 generational groupings?
Why was Yeshua listed as the 13th generation instead of the 14th?
Do you believe the book of Matthew was inspired? If you do, then it is only reasonable ask why Matthew took the liberties he did with the most important lineage in the entire Bible. If this lineage was intentional, and I believe it was, then what additional information was Matthew trying to convey to his readers. What purpose could be so important that it was worth risking the very credibility of this generational statement?
If these questions intrigue you like they do me then I ask you to join me in a Biblical adventure in search of the 13th Enumeration.
Book I: The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism Book II: Daniel’s 70 Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy
Book III: The Jubilee Code: Prophetic Milestones in the Bible
I will be sending a complimentary PDF copy of The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism to all my blog subscribers when it is released. If you’d like to be one of the first to read it, be sure to subscribe below.
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
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 7th 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 7th 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 50th 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 10th year of Zedekiah
The 21st year of “Artaxerxes”
The 6th year of Ezekiel
The 1st year of Adam
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
Long after the critics of Mark Biltz’s book, Blood Moons have been forgotten, the premise of his book will be changing how people view the Bible’s calendar. To be sure Biltz was not the first to show the religious calendar of the Bible must be understood within its Biblical context but it was his research that was the catalyst which raised awareness of the subject to the point where it can no longer be ignored.
In his book, Mark Biltz showed that our Creator set out “divine appointments” which he codified in the religious calendar given to Israel. Mr. Biltz demonstrated the early church’s belief that several of these divine appointments were fulfilled in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection. He went on to make a strong case for a future fulfillment of those Biblical holy days in events related to the 2nd coming of Yeshua.
Now I have read Biltz’s book on the Blood Moons and contrary to the assertions of some, he has not claimed the blood moons are a specific sign of the 2nd coming of Christ in 2014/2015. What he does claim is the blood moons are an important reminder to our generation that we should understand how our Creator reckons time. For those willing to listen, the blood moons remind us that the Biblical calendar is based upon both the cycles of the sun and moon. It is this lunar/solar interaction which makes our Creator’s calendar so unique.
Let me tell you why I believe Biltz’s premise concerning a Biblical calendar is controversial to so many. Simply put, it represents a fundamental shift in how we view Biblical “time”.
I’ll try to explain. If you pulled back the cover on your expensive wrist watch you’ll find different sized gears which allow your watch to keep track of seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months, and years. Each gear is a specific size which allows it to precisely measure “time”.
Our Creator’s watch works the same way only His gears are the Sun, Moon, Earth and Stars. This cosmic Rolex, if you will, measures time according to a standard He set in motion at creation. (Gen. 1:14) Our Earth in its orbit around the sun is the gear which gives us our year of 365.24 days. The moon is the gear which gives us a month of 29.53 days. The rotation of the earth is the gear which gives us our day of 24 hours.
Here is what makes the Biblical calendar extraordinary. 12 lunar cycles (months) of 29.53 days equals 354.36 days. This makes the Biblical lunar/solar “year” about 11 days shorter than each solar cycle of 365.24 days. If the Biblical calendar was not corrected every few years the months would “wander” causing them to move through the seasons. A good example of this type of wandering calendar is the lunar calendar of Islam.
If Nisan (the 1st Biblical month beginning in March or April) was not fixed to the solar/agricultural cycle it would continue to move 11 days away from its starting point every year. In only eighteen years time Nisan would be celebrated in the fall. YHWH in his infinite wisdom did not intend for this to happen so when Israel left Egypt He instructed Moses to begin each new year in the month of the “Abib”. Abib is a term for barley when it is forming its ears of grain. Not to get lost in details but by linking the Biblical calendar to the solar/agricultural cycle of Abib, YHWH provided the Israelites a means to synchronize the lunar cycle of 29.53 days with the solar year of 365.24 days, thus preventing it from wandering in the solar cycle. In practical terms this synchronization was accomplished by adding a 13th month approximately every 3 years. In modern terms we call this an intercalation. (For a Biblical example see my article Ezekiel’s 13th Month)
Here is another way to look at it: The Biblical calendar can be divided into two parts. One part, as it relates to mankind’s day to day activity, is governed by the rising and setting of the sun. According to the Biblical example (first set by YHWH at creation) this day to day cycle is also grouped into 6 days of labor and 1 day of rest.
The other part of the Biblical calendar, as Mark Biltz so wonderfully demonstrates in his book Blood Moons, is governed by the cycle of the moon. Specific days in these lunar months are designated as “divine appointments”. When we look up into the night sky after a hard days work the lunar cycle is there to remind us of our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua. In the first month on Passover, Yeshua became the “lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.” Not many days later he rose from the grave and became, “the firstfruits” of them that slept. If YHWH had not fixed the Biblical calendar to the solar/agricultural cycle Yeshua would not have fulfilled these Divine appointments.
If you’ve read my article on the The Messiah Factors you know it is no accident that lunar/solar cycles of the Biblical calendar are reconciled by a 13th month. This 13th month is the bridge which connects the side of the Biblical calendar which governs mankind’s struggle to survive under the curse of sin, with the side of the calendar which offers hope through the promised Redeemer.
For many today, Biltz’s book Blood Moons is an uncomfortable reminder that our way of looking at “time” has wandered from its Biblical foundations. Think of the implications this has for how we understand many of the prophetic passages in the Scripture. Have you ever wondered why the prophecies in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation do not use the term “years” to designate the shorter time frames? It makes perfect sense if you realize the Biblical calendar “year” varies between 12 & 13 months. Remember years in a Biblical sense are based upon a certain number of lunar cycles. Those lunar cycles are then recalibrated every few years to synchronize them with the solar/agricultural cycle.
This explains why a 7 “year” or a 3.5 “year” tribulation period is never specifically mentioned in relation to the prophecies of the Bible. A “year” in the strictest Biblical sense is not 365.24 days but rather 12 or 13 lunar cycles. This is the reason the books of Daniel and Revelation so often use days and months instead of “years” to described specific end time events. So next time you’re reading a prophetic passage in the Scripture consider it in terms of our Creator’s calendar, you might be surprised at the insights you find.
I leave you with a final thought. No matter what you believe about the Blood Moons they are, at the very least, a spectacular reminder for us to look at Biblical “time” in terms of our Creator’s calendar not a poor man-made imitation.
In the words of king David:
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. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, {line: or, rule, or, direction} 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Psalm 19:1-6
Authors Note:
For those Berean’s interested in digging into this further the following chart shows the prophecies of Daniel & Revelation using a Biblical reckoning of time.
(Click on image to enlarge)
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
Just a note for regular readers of my blog. I will be curtailing my blog posts for several weeks in an effort to finish my manuscript, The 13th Symbol . Over the last few months I’ve gotten behind in my self-imposed deadline because I wanted to make sure the Biblical history behind my first two books (The 13th Enumeration and The 13th Prime) was explained here at my blog. As most of you have probably realized by now, I love searching out the details of Biblical history and Bible prophecy. Over the last two years it has been a real pleasure to share my thoughts and perspective with all of you. I look forward to sharing more of my research with you in the coming months.
Those of you who have read my novels know that I have woven into each story an aspect of Bible prophecy which is often unexplored or misunderstood. My hope has been that through the eyes of the characters in the novels I can inspire you with my own enthusiasm for the subject. It is my belief that searching the pages of the Scripture for the treasure it contains is a noble and rewarding effort, an effort that ultimately leads to evidence of our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua, the Messiah promised in the Scriptures.
So if you are one who finds the articles here at my blog a little dry or boring I encourage you to read one of my novels. You’ll get much of the same information but it will be packaged in a thrilling novel written from a Biblical world view.
The 13th Enumeration is the first book in my series. The novel explores the subject of Daniel 9 and the prophecy of 70 “weeks”. The premise of the book is based around the idea that the lineage of Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 1 is in fact a symbolic code which proves that Yeshua is the Messiah promised in the Scripture. In this novel I’ll take you to the shores of Galilee where Yeshua once walked. We’ll climb the cliffs and explore the tunnels of this ancient land on a truly epic treasure hunt for the secret of The 13th Enumeration.
With over 175 reviews on Amazon, I encourage you to see what other readers are saying about: The 13th Enumeration.
The 13th Prime: Deciphering the Jubilee Code is book II in my series. This novel begins where The 13th Enumeration left off and continues the adventure of Rachael and Zane. The 13th Prime explores the significance of the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles in the Bible. It looks at these cycles in the context of a prophetic framework within which YHWH has left evidence of His prophetic plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua.
From the city of Jerusalem to the ancient cliffs of Petra and on to the city of London the treasure hunt continues with Rachael and Zane in The 13th Prime: Deciphering the Jubilee Code.
In my third book The 13th Symbol, I will attempt to explore a dual Biblical theme. One of the great prophetic themes of the Bible is the typology of the bride and bridegroom. Through the eyes of Rachael and Zane we will see some of the beauty of this wonderful subject.
The 2nd theme is one of the most controversial topics of Bible prophecy today. Who or what is the final world empire before Yeshua returns. Will it be eastern or western? The struggles between the antagonists in this book allowed me to look at the subject in a unique way.
Sure to be controversial The 13th Symbol will investigate these subjects from a different angle. My hope is the story will challenge those who read it to pick up their Bible and “see if these things be so”.
* * * A brief synopsis of The 13th Symbol:
At the very cusp of the Order’s victory in their ancient battle for the destiny of mankind, the death of Peter Herschel threatens the Order’s very existence. Will another rise from the ashes of these events to lead the Order and bear the torch of enlightenment? Behind the scenes, two men set in motion events which they hope will result in one of them winning the ultimate victory. The stakes have never been higher. The only thing standing between them and their destiny is the location of the 13th Symbol.
Terrorists cross the border from Mexico into the US, wrecking havoc at one of America’s most important military UAV testing facilities. An advanced UAV is hijacked and a devastated military base is left behind as the real target, America’s 5th largest city, 185 miles to the north, unwittingly waits for the wrath of one of the military’s most advanced weapons. Once again, Darius Zarindast has brought the war to American soil as he sets in motion a multifaceted plot in his secret struggle against the Order. Can he rise from the ashes to lead the world into a new era?
Senator Michael Vidal’s rise from America’s leading pastor to its most influential Senator has changed the balance of political power in Washington. Can he leverage his success in the US political realm to replace the late Sir Peter Herschel as the leader of the world’s most influential secret society and further advance himself towards his ultimate goal?
Zane Harrison has never been happier. He has won the love of Rachael Neumann, and in just a few days she will be his bride. Unknown to him, their lives are about to be turned upside down. As east and west race to find the 13th Symbol and an unimaginable fortune in gold, their focus converges on Zane Harrison. As events overtake him, Zane struggles to survive and tries to find a way out of the greatest treasure hunt the world has ever known.
YA willing I plan to write Book IV in 2015. From the tunnels and excavations under the temple mount to the desert sands of Ethiopia and then back again to the Sea of Galilee, Book IV will explore the topic of the Ark of the Covenant and rebuilding the Temple.
I am going to introduce a new character in this novel and I would like to try and write his story in the first person. I’ve never tried it before so it promises to be challenging. You don’t have to worry about Zane and Rachael they will still be a big part of the story.
For those who love a good challenge, see if you can figure out the title of Book IV. I’ve given you the first two letters. The first person to guess the correct title (and post it here) will receive a signed copy of Book IV after it has been written.
If you are wondering about the cover, no, it is not finished. I just needed something temporary to post here. I have a mental image of the Ark of the Covenant that I would like to place on the cover. I hope to find something like it or find someone who is able to produce it for me. I’m sure by the time the manuscript is done I’ll have a better idea of what I want the book cover to look like. Until then…
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Author’s Note:My recent article The 14th Sacrifice looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.
The Deliverance of Jonah – West
The Sign of Jonas
One of the most controversial and challenging aspects of Yeshua’s Passover week chronology is what is known as “the Sign of Jonas (Jonah)”. It is the one part of the Passover week chronology which is most often used as a proof text for a Thursday or even a Wednesday crucifixion. Personally, as far as this subject is concerned, I think the big picture is often overlooked in our perusal of the details. The following are the three passages which mention the Sign of Jonas.
Matthew 12:38-41 8 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40For as Jonas was three days and three nightsin the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Matthew 16:1-4 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Luke 11:29-30 29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
Before I proceed, it is only fair to give my interpretational bias: When looking at chronological information I give greater weight to direct chronological statements than those chronological details found in analogies and parables. Yeshua’s statement concerning the “Sign of Jonas” is an analogy (some consider it a parable) and as such the comparative details of the two stories will not match in every aspect. In order to establish this we will compare the two stories for both their differences and similarities. I believe this effort with allow us to get a better idea of the message Yeshua was trying to convey.
Let”s look at the highlights of Jonah’s story first:
1. YHWH gave Jonah a message of repentance to the Ninevites.
2. Jonah did not want to perform the task so he tried to run. (not the smartest decision)3. Jonah’s destiny met him on a ship in the sea in the midst of a storm.
4. To save the lives of those on the ship, Jonah was cast overboard.
5. Jonah was swallowed by a “whale”.
6. After 3 days & 3 nights Jonah was spit out.
7. Jonah decided to do what YHWH asked. (smart decision)
8. Jonah went to Nineveh and warned them to repent or judgment would fall in 40 days.
9. Nineveh repented from the king on down. The city was saved.
10. Jonah did not appreciate the city’s repentance.
Highlights of the Yeshua’s Passion:
1. Yeshua came to provide reconciliation for mankind’s sins.
2. He did not try to run but obediently carried out the will of YHWH.
3. To save the lives of Jerusalem and all mankind he was betrayed and crucified.
4. The gospel accounts specifically state (in 14 places) Yeshua rose on the “3rd day”.
5. Yeshua warned Jerusalem to repent. For 40 days after the resurrection he appeared as proof of his resurrection.
6. Jerusalem did not repent and 40 years later it was destroyed.
The above comparisons show that while the Jonah story and Yeshua’s Passion have several analogous events they are by no means a perfect match. Of the three gospel accounts which mention the “sign”,only one provides the comparison between Jonah’s stay in the belly of the whale and Yeshua’s time in “the heart of the earth”. There are several problems with those who would take this analogy as a literal chronological statement of the time Yeshua spent in the grave.
First, there is no indication that Jonah died. In fact the Biblical account shows that he was very much alive in the belly of the whale. He was separated from mankind but he was not dead.
Second, this analogy cannot be taken as literal without contradicting the other 14 clear chronological statements which show Yeshua rose on “the 3rd day.” (For more on this see my article “The 3rd Day”.) Those who demand this analogy be taken literally, count Yeshua’s time in the grave as follows:
Thursday = day 1
Friday = day 2
Saturday = day 3
Thursday night = night 1
Friday night = night 2
Saturday = night 3
As you can see this creates a problem. The gospel accounts clearly show that Yeshua rose on the 1st day of the week (a.k.a Sunday). So if the “Sign of Jonas” represented Yeshua’s time in the grave, as many have interpreted, then it places his resurrection on the 4th day thereby contradicting over 14 specific instances where the Bible says he rose on the 3rd day. In my opinion no interpretation of an analogy deserves to be given the same evidentiary weight as a clear statement of chronology much less the ability to undermine 14 clear statements of said chronology.
So is there a solution? I believe there is. Maybe our focus is wrong. Since only one of the gospel accounts mentions “three days and three nights” maybe we are overlooking the bigger picture in pursuit of the details. Could it be that Yeshua’s “sign” was simply a warning that judgment would fall on Jerusalem if they did not repent? That like the Ninevites they only had a certain period of time to repent? That His resurrection from the grave was the catalyst that set the analogous (Ninevite) prophecy in motion? History bares out that indeed Yeshua’s “Sign of Jonas” was a warning to Jerusalem and the inhabitants of Judea. History also records that YHWH was long suffering towards Jerusalem by extending their grace period to 40 years and sending them unmistakable signs that further warned them that judgment was coming. These signs were recorded historically in the Talmudic writings. Interestingly, both the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud record strange events during the 40 years before the destruction of Jerusalem. The Talmudists believed these events portended the temple’s destruction. I think they provide confirmation of Yeshua’s prophecy. Note these events began in 30 AD the year Yeshua was crucified and rose again. Take a moment to read these fascinating accounts:
“Forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the western light (of the Lamp-stand, the Menorah) went out, the crimson thread remained crimson, and the lot for the LORD always came up in the left hand. They would close the gates of the temple by night and the get up in the morning and find them wide open”. (The Yersuahalmi, p. 156-157)
“Our rabbis taught: During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot (‘for the Lord’) did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white; nor did the western most light shine; and the doors of the Hekl (Temple) would open by themselves”. (Yoma 39a)
“forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the Sanhedrin was Banished (from the Chamber of the hewn Stone) and sat in the trading-station (on the Temple Mount). (Shabbat 15a)
“Said Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkkai to the Temple, ‘O Temple, why do you frighten us? We know that your will end up destroyed. For it has been said, Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars’” (Sota 6:3)(Zechariah 11:1)
Interested in the odds for the above history? See my article What are the Odds?
Luke 11:29-30 29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also
Luke 13:34-3534 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! : and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of YHWH.
Psalm 118:22-27 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is YHWH’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which YHWH hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O YHWH: O YHWH, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of YHWH: we have blessed you out of the house of YHWH. 27 God is YHWH, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Joel 2:30-32 0 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of YHWH come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YHWH shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as YHWH hath said, and in the remnant whom YHWH shall call.
Yeshua showed proof of his resurrection for 40 days
Jerusalem was destroyed 40 years later
Our generation is living in the 40th Jubilee
40 days > 40 years > 40 jubilees (For more on the significance of the Jubilees as described above see my article The Jubilee Code)
In summary it is my opinion that the “sign of Jonas” was meant to be a warning by Yeshua to Jerusalem that they should repent or face judgment. By its own construction the analogy cannot be taken in a totally literal sense without creating more chronological problems than it solves. Like Jonah, Yeshua’s authority as a prophet was not confirmed by the length of time he spent in the grave (or the belly of the whale) but rather in the fact that he rose again from the grave. His resurrection was indeed the event which began the countdown to the destruction of Jerusalem 40 years later.
* * *
For those of you who demand a solution to Yeshua’s statement of “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” I believe there may be one; Frankly it may not totally satisfy any of us, but it is the only way that I have found to render the passage without at least some further complications. If Jonah’s stay in the belly of the whale was to be truly illustrative of Yeshua, then it was not death that was pictured, but physical or spiritual separation and a future resurrection.
I draw your attention to an unusual statement by Yeshua the night of the 15th of Nisan while he was in the garden:
John 17:1-11 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee…. 11And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Mark 14:32-41 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane:…… 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death (thanatos): tarry ye here, and watch.………41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Matthew 26:38 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death(thanatos): tarry ye here, and watch with me.
2288 thanatos {than’-at-os} Meaning: 1) the death of the body 1a) that separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended 1b) with the implied idea of future misery in hell 1b1) the power of death 1c) since the nether world, the abode of the dead, was conceived as being very dark, it is equivalent to the region of thickest darkness i.e. figuratively, a region enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and sin 2) metaph., the loss of that life which alone is worthy of the name, 2a) the misery of the soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body in hell 3) the miserable state of the wicked dead in hell 4) in the widest sense, death comprising all the miseries arising from sin, as well physical death as the loss of a life consecrated to God and blessed in him on earth, to be followed by wretchedness in hell
Jonah’s “three days and three nights” began when he was cast overboard for the saving of the rest of the ship. Based upon John 17, Mark 14, and Matthew 26 above, Yeshua, at the time of his betrayal, experienced physical/spiritual separation from the rest of mankind, even to the point his own disciples denied him.
If there is any validity to this line of reasoning then we have:
* Friday night (beginning the15th) and day of the 15th
* Saturday night (beginning the16th) and the day of the 16th
* Sunday night (beginning the 17th) and part of the day of the 17th
That’s the best I can do. I encourage you to do your own do diligence as a Berean.
* * *
Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.
Click on the Image to enlarge:
For more on Yeshua’s Passover Week chronology please see the following articles:
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."
Author’s Note:My recent article The 14th Sacrifice looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.
Peter & John at the open Tomb
The 3rd Day
A whole book could be written about the symbolism of the “the 3rd day”. Did you know “the 3rd Day” is mentioned at least 14 times in context of Yeshua’s death and resurrection? Before we look at the “3rd day” as it relates to Yeshua’s Passover week I thought it would be interesting to note a few other notable “3rd days” found in the Bible:
*Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac on the “3rd day”. (Gen. 22) *Joseph held his brethren in prison until the “3rd day”. (Gen. 42) *YHWH verbally gave the law at Sinai on the “3rd day”. (Exo. 19) *David hid himself in the field from Saul until the “3rd day”. (1 Sam. 20) *David learned of Saul & Jonathan’s death on the “3rd day”. (2 Sam. 1) *Hezekiah was healed and went up to the temple on the “3rd day”. (2 King 20) *The 2nd temple was finished on the “3rd day” of Adar. (Ezra 6) *Esther stood before the king of Persia on the “3rd day”. (Est. 5) *Israel will be restored in the “3rd day” (Hosea 6) *Yeshua attended a marriage in Cana on the “3rd day”. (John 2)
Each of the above references is full of symbolism and meaning. Several jump out to me in relation to the symbolism of Yeshua as well as the coming Messianic age. YA willing I’ll get a chance to explore them in future articles. For now though I would like to return to the chronology of Yeshua’s Passover week.
Did you know that the “3rd day” is the most frequently mentioned piece of chronological information related to Yeshua’s death and resurrection? Take a moment to read the 14 references below. If there is one part of Yeshua’s Passover week the New Testament is unequivocally clear about, it is that Yeshua rose from the grave on the “3rd day”.
Matthew 16:211 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Matthew 17:23 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Matthew 20:1919 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Matthew 27:6464 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mark 9:31 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Mark 10:3434 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Luke 9:22 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
Luke 13:3232 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Luke 18:32-3332 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
Luke 24:6-76 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luke 24:2121 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Luke 24:46 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Acts 10:39-4039 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Luke 24 below adds further clarity to the Passover week chronology by linking the first day of the week with the “3rd day” from Yeshua’s betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. Here again if we take the Scripture at face value in its most natural and plain reading it shows that Yeshua rose from the grave on the “3rd day”, this “3rd day” being the first day of the week.
One additional idea worth mentioning here is the term “3rd day” may have added significance in the fact that this day also marked the 3rd day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Please see the chart below for more details.
Luke 24:1-21Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. …….13And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs……15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. …… 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
My next article will look at the Sign of Jonah, one of the most debated statements of Yeshua’s Passover week. I hope you stay tuned…
Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.
Click on the Image to enlarge:
For more on Yeshua’s Passover Week chronology please see the following articles:
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."
Author’s Note:My recent article The 14th Sacrifice looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.
Peter denying Christ – Poussin
The “Preparation” Day
My last article on chronology of Yeshua’s Passover week looked at why Yeshua’s accusers were not willing to enter Pilate’s judgment hall for fear of being “defiled”. (see: Defiled on the “Passover”) Shortly after these events Yeshua was taken and crucified. In the gospel accounts it tells us that this day was the “preparation” day. In this article I want to look at this day in relation to the events of Yeshua’s Passover week. Take a moment to read the following verses, they represent each usage of the term “preparation” in the New Testament.
Mark 15:42-4342 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Luke 23:52-542 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
Matthew 27:59-62 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate
John 19:13-16 13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
John 19:31-4231 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away….. 42There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
The word “preparation” comes from the Greek paraskeue, it means a making ready, a preparation, or equipping. It is used almost exclusively in the Scripture to designate the day before the Sabbath. I say “almost exclusively” because some contented that John 19:14 uses the term “preparation” to refer to the day before the “Passover”.
Of the verses above, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:52 & John 19:31 each clearly state that the “preparation” day is the day before the Sabbath. Taken at face value these verses need no further clarification. Yeshua was crucified on the day before the Sabbath. So how do we reconcile John 19:13 where it states that the day Yeshua died was the “preparation of the Passover”?
In my opinion this is another place where the term Passover is used in the general sense to represent the feast of Unleavened Bread. As I showed in my articles The 14th Sacrifice and Defiled on the “Passover” the term “passover” is used in the Bible to represent the Passover supper proper as well as the entire Feast of Unleavened Bread. John 19:13 then is not saying that Yeshua was crucified on the day before the Passover supper but that he died on the “preparation” day during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. There are several ways to prove this:
1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread does not require a “preparation” day because work related to the preparation of food is not prohibited. 2. John 19:31 states the day following the “preparation” was a “high Sabbath”. A “high Sabbath” can only refer to a Sabbath day which has been elevated by its inclusion within the feast days. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is not a true “Sabbath” or “rest” and it is never referred to as such in the Bible. 3. The gospel accounts show that the day following this “high” Sabbath was the 1st day of the week.
Take a look at the verse below. In this passage Luke is describing the burial of Yeshua. He describes the day as the “preparation, and the sabbath drew on”. Verse 56 provides a unique confirmation that this day is indeed the “Sabbath” or 7th day of the week. Notice it states that the women returned from the sepulcher and then “rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment”. The feast of Unleavened Bread has no such commandment because Exodus 12:16 allows work related to the preparation of food.
View of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives
With the above information in mind it can be reasonably concluded that Yeshua was crucified on the “preparation day” or the 6th day of the week which also happened to be the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That the following day was the weekly Sabbath and by its very position within the 7 day feast it was a special or “high” Sabbath.
“Preparation” = 3904, paraskeue {par-ask-yoo-ay’} Meaning: 1) a making ready, preparation, equipping 2) that which is prepared, equipment 3) in the NT in a Jewish sense, the day of preparation 3a) the day on which the Jews made necessary preparation to celebrate a sabbath or a feast Origin: as if from 3903; TDNT – 7:1,989; Usage: AV – preparation 6; 6
The references below are a sampling of historical references to the “preparation day”.
Antiquities of the Jews 16:162-163162 “Caesar Augustus, high priest and tribune of the people, ordains thus:–Since the nation of the Jews has been found grateful to the Roman people, not only at this time, but in time past also, and chiefly Hyrcanus the high priest, under my father, {a} Caesar the emperor, 163 it seemed good to me and my counsellors, according to the sentence and oath of the people of Rome, that the Jews have liberty to make use of their own customs, according to the law of their forefathers, as they made use of them under Hyrcanus the high priest of the Almighty God; and that their sacred money be not touched, but be sent to Jerusalem, and that it be committed to the care of the receivers at Jerusalem; and that they be not obliged to go before any judge on the Sabbath day, nor on the day of the preparation to it, after the ninth hour, {b}
Ignatius to the Trallians 9:2
Martyrdom of Polycarp 7:1
Didache 8:1
Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.
Click on the Image to enlarge:
For more on Yeshua’s Passover Week chronology please see the following articles:
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."
Author’s Note:My recent article The 14th Sacrifice looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.
Defiled on the “Passover”
In my previous article “The Feast Day”: Judas’ Betrayal we looked at the reason the disciples might have assumed Judas went to buy provisions for the “feast” day. In this article we will look at a different aspect of the Passover week chronology. After the Passover supper Yeshua and his disciples go into the garden to pray and then Judas comes with a “multitude” to arrest him. Yeshua is taken to the high priest’s house where he is questioned and subsequently taken to Pilate’s judgment hall where he is questioned again. As John 18:28 explains the Jewish leaders refuse to enter the hall because they fear being defiled and thus preventing them from eating the “Passover”.
John 18:2828 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover.
Here again we have a statement used by some to reject Yeshua’s crucifixion on the “feast” day (i.e. the 15th of Nisan). Obviously if the “Passover” of John 18:28 is referring to the Passover supper then the day in question was clearly the 14th of Nisan.
First we need to determine if this reference to the “Passover” is used in the specific sense regarding the Passover supper or a more general sense regarding the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (See my article The 14th Sacrifice for examples of the specific and general use of the term “Passover”.) The answer to this question interestingly is found in the Old Testament. (Lev. 7; 11; 15 & Num. 19) In Leviticus and Numbers it states that if one is defiled by various means they are unclean – until – “even”. This reference of John 18:28 to eating the “Passover” then could not have been in reference to the Passover supper proper because the Jewish leader’s defilement would only have lasted until “even” and they would have been free to eat the Passover supper. This proves their concern must have been in regards to the events during the daylight hours of the 15th of Nisan and the “Passover” feast in general.
At the Feast Day
Further confirmation of the above is found in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, Johh18. In these passages it states that traditionally Pilate would release one prisoner every year “at the feast”. Again taken at face value these verses show that Yeshua was tried on the feast day and that Pilate tried to release him “at the feast”. Remember the feast of “Passover”/Unleavened Bread did not begin until the 15th of Nisan.
Matthew 27:15-17 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
Mark 15:66Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
Luke 23:16-1716 I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
John 18:39-4039But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.
Click on the Image to enlarge:
For more on Yeshua’s Passover Week chronology please see the following articles:
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."
Author’s Note:My recent article The 14th Sacrifice looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.
The Feast Day: Judas’ Betrayal
One of the first objections often raised against the position taken in my article The 14th Sacrifice is found in John 13:26-29. This passage shows that after the “supper” Yeshua washed his disciples’ feet, he then dipped a sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot indicating that he was the one to betray Him. Yeshua then tells Judas to “That thou doest, do quickly”. Judas gets up and leaves to betray Yeshua but the disciples are under the impression that Judas has gone to buy supplies for the “Feast”.
John 13:26-2926 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. {sop: or, morsel} 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
The argument goes that the “last supper” eaten by Yeshua and his disciples could not have been the Passover supper proper because that would have made it the 15th of Nisan a feasts day and a Sabbath during which Judas would not have been able to buy provisions. Further this makes the “feast” of John 13:29 the real Passover supper.
When I first checked out the Biblical evidence for this position I was surprised to find that the Feast of Unleavened Bread is never called a Sabbath in the Old Testament. I know Exodus 12, Lev. 23, and Num. 28 all state that no servile work is to be done but the day is never called a Sabbath. Contrast this with the feasts of the seventh month where the feast days are specifically called a Sabbath (shabbathown). I believe the reason the Feast of Unleavened Bread is never called a Sabbath is because Exodus 12:16 makes a very big exception to the no-work policy. Here take a look:
Exodus 12:16 16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
By this criteria, work related to the preparation of food was allowed on the 15th of Nisan. This means that if Yeshua and his disciples ate the true Passover supper on the 15th of Nisan, like a plain reading of the gospels indicate, then it would indeed have been reasonable for the disciples to assume that Judas had gone to buy provisions for the coming “feast” day. (Remember the 15th of Nisan was a joyous celebration of Israel’s departure from their servitude in Egypt.) So by this criteria, the events immediately following the “last supper” in no way disqualify it from being the real Passover supper eaten the night of the 15th of Nisan.
Exodus 12:17 17 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: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.
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."
For those waiting for the release of my new book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism I am happy to say I have completed it ahead of time. As promised, subscribers to my blog will receive a complimentary copy of the book by downloading the digital version here: Book Download
