Seeking Jesus First Dec. 31, 2024
Signs of a New and Better Covenant - Part Six
The disciples asked Jesus, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”” (Matthew 24:3, NKJV)
As indicated in Part Five on Dec. 30, when the disciples asked Jesus about, “the sign of Your coming”, they were not simply speaking of His return to earth after ascending to Heaven. They were either speaking of His coming in judgement over Jerusalem or they were asking about His ascension to the throne and exaltation by The Ancient of Days. Please understand that the disciples were not ignorant of the prophesies about The Anointed King.
“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21–22, NKJV)
“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24, NKJV)
Compare the seventy times seven to the seventy weeks. It was not random that Jesus would use these terms when speaking of tolerating your brother and forgiving him over and over again. Jesus was calling their attention to the fact that the time of the Messiah of Israel had come. They would be able to see God’s long-suffering and loving kindness with Israel and Judah. At the same time, they would be able to see that the seventy weeks of years was coming to a close.
“Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.” (Daniel 9:25, NKJV)
A week in this context is seven years. From the time that the decree went forth to rebuild the temple until the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist was 483 Years or 69 Weeks.
To Be Continued…