It All Adds Up

Intro:

There is no doubt we are living in difficult days as we see conflict, violence, confusion and sin all around us. I often hear many people make comments like we are living in the last days or the Bible is unfolding before our very eyes which are in fact true statements. However when digging a little bit deeper many people even Christians do not have a clear idea of what the Bible teaches so they base their beliefs on partial truths they have heard or been taught. For others they have made an effort to learn more but unfortunately encountered one of the many false teachers out there who speak more on their opinions or so called groundbreaking super spiritual ideas than simply staying true to exactly what the Bible says.

I have said it before and I will say it again that we do not need opinion or commentary in our walk rather we need to base everything we believe and do in God’s word and God’s Spirit which comes from a literal study of the Bible and a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

So today I am beginning a new sermon series entitled the Last days where each week I will be speaking on what the Bible teaches us regarding the end times and how it effects us as believers.

My commitment as always is to be as accurate to the word of God as possible and leave out opinions and I would encourage each of you to leave behind any preconceived notions as well and look purely at the Scriptures.

I realize that for many people when they hear end times prophecy they are skeptical or confused. The Apostle Peter said that in the end times people will scoff at prophesy.

2 Peter 3:1–4 NLT

1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. 3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

Why Study Bible Prophesy?

So why might you ask is it so important for us to understand Bible prophesy.

The most important reason we study Bible prophesy is because it is in the Bible and the Bible is the word of God. As believers we cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible to study and take literally and which ones we do not spend time on or do not take literally.

Most people may not know this but the Bible is about 27% prophesy and many of the prophecies center around the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and also around the end of times.

God is very clear that we are to meditate on His words and walk in His ways both in the New and Old Testaments. And it is impossible to know His word, His ways, and His character without reading the Bible.

Also, prophesy provides a warning about events to come so we can prepare for them. Without the knowledge that Jesus is coming back soon some people will not have the same sense of urgency to turn from the world and live for Jesus.

Bible prophesy is also meant to comfort us as believers in Jesus Christ. For example, if a person today looks at all the evil and corruption in the world and does not know Jesus then what hope do they have. Even on our worst days we can have peace knowing that God loves us and that He is preparing a place for us with Him in heaven. Amen!

In addition, it is important to study Bible prophesy to avoid confusion about God’s word. Last year was a perfect example of that with the covid and the covid vaccine. I cannot tell you the number of people that asked me if the vaccine was the mark of the beast or were completely convinced it was. While I do agree that the government is up to something and that taking the vaccine is a personal choice and no one should be pressured into taking it in any way. I was really surprised just how many Christian people who do not understand prophesy and don’t realize that when the mark happens you will be made to openly give allegiance and worship to the antichrist to get it or you will be killed. That is completely different than a government plot or cover up against the people no matter how wicked or ill intentioned it may be.

My point here is simply that the Bible means what it says and says what it means in all areas including prophesy and we must be very careful not to add to it or take away from it rather read and apply it literally.

With that being said, today I want to use the text of Daniel 9 to illustrate the point that we can and should literally interpret end times prophecy and can trust that events will happen just as the Bible says they will happen. This is a critical point as we move through this sermon series.

Daniel 9:20–27 NKJV

20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: 24 “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. 25 “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. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Gabriel Shares a Word and Vision

Daniel chapter 9 begins with Daniel praying to the Lord. During this time in the first year of Darius the Jews are still in Babylonian exile. Daniel comes across a passage in the book of Jeremiah that speaks of the restoration of the Jews from exile. Daniel then pleads with God for forgiveness on behalf of his people. He appeals to the great name of God and His covenant faithfulness in hopes that He will return the captives to Jerusalem

While still praying to the Lord verse 21 records that the angel Gabriel whom Daniel had previously encountered in chapter 7:13 and in chapter 8:15-16 appears. He speaks with Daniel to provide him with insight and understanding. And while Daniel’s prayer isn’t answered in the way he wants Gabriel will share with him a word and vision to consider because of his favor with the Lord.

Seventy Sevens and Six Fullfillments

In verse 24 the prophesy begins by stating that seventy weeks are decreed about the people of Israel and Jerusalem whereby six events will be fulfilled.

In the Hebrew the word shabua is used to describe a period of seven days, seven weeks or seven years. Said differently a week equals a span of seven years so in this case it is referring to seventy times seven weeks or seventy times seven years meaning 490 prophetic years for the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. Furthermore, there will be six things which will be fulfilled by the end of the 490 years.

They will be:

to finish the transgression - the Jews returning from exile

to put an end to sin - Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave

to atone for iniquity - Jesus accomplish on the cross

to bring in everlasting righteousness - Jesus fulfills at the 2nd coming

to seal both vision and prophecy - at the end of the 490 years all sin and prophecy are fulfilled

to anoint a most holy place - the Temple mount in Jerusalem it will be the 3rd temple in which Jesus rules from during the millennial reign for 1,000 years

How the 490 Years Will Happen

Now that Gabriel has explained to Daniel that there will be 490 years he proceeds to tell him how they are going to happen.

Daniel 9:25–26 NKJV

25 “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. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

Verse 25 tells us that there will be seven sevens or seven groups of seven years which equal 49 years from the command to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem until it is to be completed. Also, that it would be completed during troublesome times.

The book of Nehemiah confirms that this is exactly what happened. Despite opposition from the people dwelling around Jerusalem we can read how Nehemiah and others were able to complete the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 49 years from the time of the decree to rebuild.

Next Gabriel says after the 7 weeks to rebuild Jerusalem there will be sixty two weeks meaning 62 groups of 7 years or 434 years from the time that Jerusalem is rebuilt until the time that the Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself.

Said differently there are 434 years from the rebuilding of Jerusalem from the returning exiles to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross so that all people could be saved from the penalty of sin.

So just for a quick recap the 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem plus the 434 years from the time of the rebuild until the death of Jesus equals 483 years or 173,880 days.

Can We Prove The Prophecy Timeline Was Accurate?

So now that we have established what the prophecy was and the timeline that was provided you may be asking can it be proven that it actually happened as prophesied.

The answer is an overwhelming yes.

First of all realize that the book of Daniel was in circulation long before Jesus came to the earth so there was no way for any of the historians or followers of Jesus to attempt to alter the prophesy because it was widely known.

Secondly not only did the prophesy happen but it came true to the exact timeframe..

In 1857 Sir Henry Rawlinson and his team translated Mesopotamian cuneiform inscriptions from Iran which was Persia who conquered the Babylonians and Assyrians empires. These manuscripts confimred the Biblical accounts of several events during that time and since the source was a third party non Jewish source even the harshest skeptics cannot deny its historival significanc.

It was recorded that on March 14th 445 B.C. Artaxerxes Langimanus who was the king issued a decree for the Jews to go back and rebuild Jerusalem during the times of Nehemiah which is the command Gabriel was referring to in verse 25.

So if we go from March 14th 445 B.C. forward the 173,880 days in the future we arrive at the date of April 6th 32 A.D. This date we know is Palm Sunday which was the day many Jews recognized Jesus Christ as the Messiah and began his death march to the cross just 4 days later.

How absolutely amazing is this! Praise the Lord.

This is another example of how people may say Bible prophesy is vague or hard to understand but on the contrary the Bible is very specific.

There are many religious books in the world but none that can foretell with historically verified accuracy what will happen over a 483 year time frame. But the Bible does and this is just one example.

Brother and sisters the Bible is real and is to be read and applied literally.

With this knowledge we can take comfort in the promises it contains that Jesus loves us and that He will never leave us or forsake us and that things are not out of control but unfolding as part of the Lord’s bigger plans and purposes.

Many people today are in panic mode with the events of the world. We see evil rampant, civil unrest, international conflicts, natural disasters and various diseases. But we do not have to be troubled because Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that these troubles we see are the beginning of birth pains.

What About the Remaining 7 Years of the Prophecy?

So as we determined earlier the prophesy which Gabriel gave Daniel was three separate timetables together equaling 490 years. So at this point we have the 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem and the 434 years from the time of the rebuild until the Messiah is lead to His death for others so we have covered 483 prophetic years so what about the other 7 years?

The other 7 years are the seven year tribulation to come which I touch on today and speak on more in future sermons.

Daniel 9:26–27 NKJV

26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

When speaking of the people of the prince who is to come Gabriel is referring to the evil people of the Roman Empire who have the spirit of the antichrist. They are not the antichrist but they are wicked people who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD as a response to a Jewish uprising.

Verse 27 is speaking about the antichrist in the tribulation time period. The antichrist is going to sign a 7 year peace treaty with Israel. This marks the beginning of the remaining seven years which are known as the Tribulation. The first 3.5 are referred to as the beginning of sorrows and the last 3.5 years are knows as the great tribulation.

It is at the 3.5 year point that the antichrist is going to bring an end to sacrifices and offerings at the rebuilt temple on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 24 and Paul writes about this in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. When the antichrist sits in the rebuilt temple declaring himself god it is referred to as the abomination of desolation.

This act will expose the antichrist as the imposter he is and then the full measure of God’s wrath will be poured out, in fullest measure on a sinful wicked world which despises the Lord and His people.

The last seven years of this prophesy which is the tribulation is the worst time in human history and Jesus said that if He did not shorten the days that no flesh would have survived.

And while I will speak more on this in future sermons I want you to be encouraged that as Christians we will not be around in the tribulation time frame. The judgement of the world is not for the righteous but for the devil and the wicked people who reject the Lord and harm His people.

Closing

In Closing, I know we covered a lot today and Daniel 9 is one of the more difficult parts of scripture for people to understand at times. But I hope that you can see that Biblical prophesy including end times prophesy is not intended to be confusing or frightening or a part of scripture that we don’t talk about.

Rather apocalyptic literature is designed to show us things that are to come the way they really are from a divine perspective.

Prophesy is not a part of the Bible that is up for each person’s interpretation or opinion as many people feel it is rather the prophesy like all parts of the Bible is meant to be read and applied literally. While this can be a challenge because many times much more study is required to understand the references which the symbolism is referring to but the rewards are great in that while the world has great anxiety we can have peace knowing that the Lord is in full control and that as His people that He will make a way for us when there seems to be no way.

It should encourage us to know that the Lord is in complete control and that the trouble and falling away we see in our time is not going to last forever and that the promise of eternity with Jesus in heaven is guaranteed for all who put their faith in Him.

So now that we have seen that prophesy is not a set of strange teachings but is literal, accurate and meant to encourage us I look forward over the next couple of weeks to speaking to you on some more of the topics and events of the last days.

Prayer

Have a great week and remember our Joy is in Jesus!