The Bible tells us that the “spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus” (Rev.19:10) . Today many are concerned about the prophetic significance of the Shemitah as it relates to the financial markets but is this really where our focus should be? Don’t get me wrong, I do believe there is prophetic significance to the Shemitah and Jubilee cycles, but like every prophetic subject in the Bible they must first be filtered through the “spirit of prophecy”. The Bible describes the Jubilee and Shemitah cycles as special events where debts are canceled, land is returned to its original owners, and captives are set free. In Luke 4 Yeshua (Jesus) shows how he was in part a prophetic fulfillment of Shemitah and Jubilee law.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord….This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:18-21
The Spirit of the Lord YHWH is upon me; because YHWH hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH, Isaiah 61:1-2
While there may in fact be an echo of the Shemitah in today,s financial markets, the real beauty of the Shemitah is that is shows YHWH’s hand in history as He reconciles mankind to Himself through Yeshua.
In the Bible during the Shemitah year not only were Jewish slaves set free, but the law was read publically to all the people during the Feast of Tabernacles. Evidence for the Shemitah is found several places in the Biblical record, but two of the most notable were the 10th year of Zedekiah and the 20-21st year of Nehemiah’s “Artaxerxes”. Here take a look:
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,When all Israel is come to appear before YHWH thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Deuteronomy 31:10-11
This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from YHWH, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; 9 That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. Jeremiah 34:8-9
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. Nehemiah 8:17-18
In a Biblical context, the Shemitah was a year of rededication as well as a test of Israel’s faith in YHWH. You see, Israel was not allowed to go about their normal agricultural activities during the 7th year (Shemitah) so they had to rely on YHWH’s provision in the 6th year of that seven year cycle. If Israel kept the yearly Sabbath cycle as commanded in Lev. 25 then YHWH promised to provide enough bounty in the 6th year to last all the way to the 9th year. Keep in mind though that in order to receive the blessing in the 6th year Israel had to make the commitment to keep the Shemitah (the 7th year) as proscribed by YHWH.
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But what about the Shemitah and the US stock market? Does the Shemitah really portend financial calamity as some are claiming?
Here is a chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). For those who don’t know, the DJIA represent the top 30 companies in the US.
Click on Image for full sized version:
In the chart above I’ve taken the starting and ending dates of the Shemitah as described in Mr. Cahn’s best selling book The Mystery of the Shemitah and overlaid them on the DJIA. For those who have read my blog regularly, you know my own reckoning of Sabbath and Jubilee cycles, based upon the Bible’s chronology, differs by a year from Mr. Cahn’s. Be that as it may, the above chart reflects Mr. Cahn’s dating scheme because Mr. Cahn’s dates are what many commentators are using to stir up what I believe to be unreasonable expectations for this September.
So if you’ve looked at the chart you will see that in fact there does appear to be a seven year cycle reflected in the DJIA. I know most of us think the market events of the past 15 years were extreme, but notice, the years 1900-1940 were far more extreme on a relative percentage basis. The DJIA in the first several decades of the 20th century was far more volatile than what we have experienced in the first decades of the 21st century. Although the stock market “crashes” of ’87, 2001, and 2008 were large, point wise they were actually quite average based upon a 100 years history of the DJIA.
Now for those who believe financial Armageddon is coming this September I think it should be pointed out that in the vast majority of the cases where the DJIA has corrected during the 7th year of the cycle, it has gone on to a higher level in the next Shemitah cycle regardless of the severity of the correction in the preceding cycle. In fact one of the best times to buy stocks over the last 100 years appears to have been in the weeks following a correction in the 7th year of the cycle.
Now I know that the US is on an financially unsustainable course’ but the reality of the matter is our nation is better off than most of the world. That is why despite the horrible financial news out of Europe, China, the Middle East, and elsewhere the US stock and bond markets continue to absorb money. The world has nowhere else to go. Yeah, I know, I’ve read the rumors, too; China, Russia, Arab nations, or some combination thereof are going to establish a gold backed currency to compete with the US. This may be a possibility over time but right now no other nation on earth can even come close to American’s financial influence. American’s stock, bond, and currency markets are the only place in the world at the present time with enough liquidity to handle the trillions of dollars in global money flow. Take a look at the following chart via Marketwatch.com. It shows the relative size of the nations based upon market capitalization.
(Click on Image to enlarge)
Notice, Russia, China, and Turkey combined have a smaller market cap than Germany. Notice also that the US is 16 times larger than Germany. Simply put, the US is where the money flows. We are the 19,000 pound Gorilla in the room. Those predicting America’s overnight demise in a one off currency or stock market crash are frankly not looking at the big picture. America’s stock, bond, and currency markets don’t just lead the rest of the world’s they dominate them. It is naive to believe that this is going to change any time soon.
Here is the reality of the Shemitah and the US stock market. As the above 100 year chart of the DJIA average shows, the Shemitah simply has had no lasting impact on the US financial markets. Those, predicting it will this time, have over a hundred years of history against them.
Beyond the fear and hype some are stirring, the real damage done here has been the obscuring of the Messianic context of the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles. As the apostle Paul said, the law (including the Shemitah and Jubilee and Sabbath instructions) are but a “shadow of things to come”. The Bible’s instruction about the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles are not meant to predict the next financial crisis, but rather they point us to the coming Messiah and His ultimate fulfillment of those underlying Shemitah and Jubilee pictures at His 2nd coming.
This September instead of gluing ourselves to the TV waiting for some earth shaking calamity which is unlikely to happen why don’t we following the example of Israel when they celebrated the Shemitah during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Why don’t we, our friends, and families commit to reading aloud the words of the living God of the Bible. Words which provide hope not hype, comfort and not fear. Words which tell us how we can be set free from our servitude to sin and last but not least, words which tell us of a day when Yeshua will rule this earth in righteousness.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Luke 1:68-75
Now that is a Shemitah worth looking forward to!
Food For Thought:
For those interested here are two charts in which I overlaid the Shemitah-Gold and the Shemitah-Dollar. Click on Images to Enlarge
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Long after the critics of Mark Biltz’s book, Blood Moons have been forgotten, like it or not, the premise of his book will be changing how people view the Bible’s reckoning of “time”. 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 shows that our Creator, YHWH, authored “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.
A Reminder of the Context of Biblical Time
What Mr. Biltz 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.
A Cosmic Rolex
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 year 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.
Synchronizing the Bible’s Calendar
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 practical 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 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 book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism, then 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.
Bible Prophecy and Biblical Time
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 of 29.53 days.
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 (months). 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. 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, 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
Digging Deeper
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)
Blood Moons and Bible Chronology
So is there some actual chronological significance to the Blood Moons? Personally, I don’t believe the chronology of the Bible supports the idea that the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 will see the rapture of the church, the start of the “great tribulation”, or the 2nd Coming of Yeshua as a few people are speculating. I also do not agree with those who are saying these events have no importance at all. As I will explain shortly the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 come at a very significant point in Bible chronology. So while many are questioning the significance of these events lets take a step back and look at them in the context of a panoramic view of Biblical history.
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The Jubilee Code
Regular readers of my blog know that I love to dig into the details of Biblical history and chronology. Over the years I have found the chronology of the Bible brings wonderful context as well as rich symbolism to many of the events recorded, especially those events related to the reconciliation of mankind to our Creator through the sacrifice of Yeshua.
41 Jubilee Cycles
In a recent article on the Jubilee Code I explained how the 41 generations from Abraham to Yeshua (Matt. 1) actually equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Further, if you go back in time you’ll find the span of time from Abraham to Adam also equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Based upon this and other evidence I became convinced that the lineage of Yeshua in Matthew 1 was written as a type of chronological keystone.
A Biblical Epic
Of particular interest to our present generation is that in the fall of 1979 the 123rd Jubilee cycle from Adam began (41+41+41). This means that we a currently living in the 41st Jubilee cycle from Yeshua.
Significantly the 123rd Jubilee also marks the end of another important epic in Biblical history. According to a reasonable (and defensible) rendering of Old Testament chronology, the birth of Isaac took place on the 43rd Jubilee from Adam. This set time or “mow’ed”, as it was called in the Scripture, began a Biblical epic which was typified by atonement sacrifice and YHWH’s dealings with Abraham’s seed. During this 43rd Jubilee YHWH tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. Genesis 22 gives us a beautiful testimony of Abraham’s faith as well as prophetic picture of Yeshua’s future atonement:
Genesis 22:2-8 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning,…Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,…. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:….
39 & 40 Jubilee Cycles
39 (13×3) Jubilee cycles later YHWH did indeed provided “himself” a lamb when Yeshua died for our sins. Then in 69 AD, the following Jubilee cycle (40th), the last atonement sacrifice was offered in the temple at Jerusalem. The following year on the 9th of Av the temple was destroyed, thus beginning the exile of the Jewish people. Jesus, in Luke 21 predicted this destruction of the temple and the scattering of the Jewish people. When asked by his disciples, when the destruction of the temple would take place he gave (in part) this answer:
Luke 21:24-28 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
It can be argued, reasonably so I might add, that 70 AD did indeed see the destruction of the temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people into “all nations” as prophesied by Yeshua. In fact it was only in the first part of the 20th century that a mandate was given which set in motion the return of the Jewish people to their ancient land.Then in 1948 the nation of Israel was reborn in fulfillment of numerous prophecies in the Bible. Though Israel recaptured and untied Jerusalem in 1967, parts of this ancient city are still under “gentile” control.
Israel and the Jubilee Cycles
This brings me back to the present. Today we are living in the 40th jubilee cycle from the destruction of Jerusalem and that last fateful atonement sacrifice. I believe a reasonable argument can be made that the past 40 Jubilee cycles are what Yeshua described as the “times of the Gentiles”. This epic will soon be drawing to a close. To me it is fascinating to note that the 39th Jubilee cycle from Isaac saw the birth of Yeshua. The 40th Jubilee saw his death, resurrection, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the sacrificial system and the birth of the “church age”.
39 Jubilee cycles into the “church age” the nation of Israel has once again been reborn and we find YHWH again dealing with the Jewish people, bringing them back to the land He promised to Abraham. As the 40th Jubilee winds down it becomes apparent that we are in another period of transition. Great changes are afoot as YHWH prepares mankind for the return of Yeshua and His millennial reign from Jerusalem. Before I talk about the “blood moons” and the year 2014/2015 as it relates to the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles I would like to look at a couple of more symbolic themes which I believe add credibility to the Biblical epics I’ve been describing.
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40 and the Bread of Heaven
After Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before “crossing over” into the Promised Land under the leadership of Yeshua (Joshua son of Nun). For those who may not know the name Jesus/Joshua/Yeshua are all variations on the same name which means Salvation of YA. During those 40 years of wandering, Israel was given manna to eat. In John 6, Yeshua compared the manna in the wilderness with himself as the “Bread of Life” or “Living” bread. Later the apostle Paul connects the symbolism of Yeshua and “bread” with the expectancy of His 2nd Coming.
John 6:47-5847 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: ….. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me…… 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
For 40 years the Children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness before they crossed over into the Promised Land. For the past 40 Jubilees mankind has been given the opportunity to eat the “living” bread of heaven.
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40 Weeks, 40 Jubilees, and the Birth Pangs
The last theme I want to look at is one that is often mentioned when discussing eschatology. In Matthew 24, Yeshua, when describing the events which transpire between the destruction of the temple and His return, explains them in terms of a woman’s birth pangs. I believe a good case can be made that this symbolism may have a near and far fulfillment. In terms of human biology a full term pregnancy last 40 weeks. Yeshua’s death and resurrection took place in 30 AD and Jerusalem fell 40 years later. A reasonable case can be made that the events of 70 AD were a partial fulfillment of Yeshua’s words in Matthew 24. Clearly Yeshua did not literally return at that time so He must have been speaking of another time as well. A period of 40 Jubilees may well fit the pattern. If this is the case then a little speculative math may give us some insights into this final period time.
If 40 weeks = 40 Jubilees
1 week = 49 years.
Each day of “labor” = 7 years.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Mark 13:4-84 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows (birth pangs).
Matthew 24:4-8 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (birth pangs).
Blood Moons of 2014/2015
So what does this have to do with the “blood moons” in 2014/2015? Based upon the Jubilee cycles as described above the autumn of 2013 – 2014 ends the 5th Sabbath cycle of the 40th Jubilee from the destruction of Jerusalem. (Each Jubilee has 7 cycles of 7 years.) The fall of 2014 begins the final two Sabbath cycles of this 40th Jubilee as well as the 123rd Jubilee from Adam. If there is any validity to the symbolism of birth pangs and 40 Jubilees cycles, then the next two Sabbath cycles (14 years) should see some incredible events as they related to Bible prophecy. It’s also worth noting that Joseph’s 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine fell in the final two years of the 47th Jubilee cycle. (see chronology chart below for more details.)
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In summary then I do not believe the “blood moons” indicate any specific immediate event but based upon a larger chronological context they may well represent the beginning of the end for several very important Biblical epics.
For those who would like to look at the underlying chronological information that was described above please see the excerpted chart below or download the full free (PDF) chart here: Chronology of the Old Testament. The excerpted chart is best understood in the context of the full PDF. Please do your own due diligence as Bereans.
The image below can be enlarged by clicking on it.
Authors Note:The information developed in this article is based upon over twenty years of research. The chronology involved took two years to complete in charted form. For those who would like to see the Biblical basis for the chronology as described above you will find a PDF chart of chronology here: Chronology of the Old Testament. Please note this chronology is based upon the Old Testament MT text of the Scriptures. Though this chart itself is solely my own effort I often turned to some of the great chronologists of the past and present to try and work out the chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah. I’ve appreciatively walked in the footsteps of the following giants of Biblical chronology: Ussher, Rawlinson, Newton, Rutherford, Davidson, and Jones. Please do your own due diligence as a Berean. Please note that the dates in this article should be understood within the context of the Jubilee & Sabbath cycles given. The dates are not a prediction of the “Rapture” or the 2nd coming of Yeshua.
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13 & 14 and the Blood Moons
On a related note, for those who read my new book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism, it is fascinating to see that the “blood moons” fall on the 6013/14 year from Adam. As decribed in my book the numbers 13 & 14 are woven into the very fabric of the Bible’s Messianic symbolism. If you would like to learn more about 13 & 14 and the Bible’s Messianic symbolism I encourage you download a free copy of my book. Subscribers to my blog will receive a free digital copy. If you prefer to purchase a copy please see my Amazon author page here: William Struse
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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."
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."
You are probably wondering why I’d concern myself with writing about the day of the Exodus, especially when Numbers 33:3-8 spells it out so precisely:
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8
Truthfully, I like to explore these subjects simply because I enjoy trying to figure out the details of Biblical history, but in this case there is a lot more to the subject which intrigues me.
Destruction of Pharaoh’s Army – Poussin
First of all, I wondered if it was possible to ascertain not the day of the month of the Exodus but the day of week. I realize this is a theoretical exercise because YHWH didn’t give Moses instructions for 6 days of labor and a day of rest until after the Exodus. In fact it was not until the middle of the 2nd month, in the Land of Sin, that YHWH instructed Israel on the Sabbath cycle.
That being said I still wondered if we could not count the cycles retrospectively and still arrive a reasonable conclusion regarding the day of week upon which Israel left Egypt. After all, I figure that even though YHWH did not instruct Israel regarding the Sabbath cycle until after the Exodus, He did in fact set the example for 6 days of labor and one day of rest all the way back in Genesis. To my way of looking at it, if he had set this pattern up in the very beginning it was not beyond His abilities to later synchronize and continue that pattern at the Exodus.
The second reason this subject interests me is that the New Testament describes Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection as a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events. John the Baptist testified that Yeshua was:
“The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.
The apostle Paul when describing Yeshua’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf stated: “ “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb. 9:28-10:1
So if Yeshua’s death and resurrection is a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events, surely understanding the precise chronology of the Exodus might provide valuable context to the New Testament events. With these interests in mind the following is what I believe is a reasonable outline of events based upon the Biblical record.
Israel was commanded to kill the “Passover” lamb on the 14th day at “even”. My article Even to Even explains that when the “even” of a day is mentioned it designates the end of that day and the beginning of the next. For example when Lev. 23 mentioned the “ninth day at even” it was specifically designating the start of the 10th day. In like manner the Exodus events show that the 14th day at “even” was in fact the start of the 15th day. I’ve included the passage from Exodus 12 at the end of this article.
Israel was to eat the lamb in readiness to depart Egypt: And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night. Exo.12:11
The Angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt that night. (the 15th) “And it came to pass, that at midnight YHWH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…” Exo. 12:29
The following morning all Israel departed Egypt. This was the 1st day of the feast of Unleavened Bread. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH…. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; ….And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; …And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Exo. 12
In summary, the above chronology clearly shows that Israel killed their Passover lambs on the 14th day at “even” just before sundown which began the 15th. The night beginning the 15th of Nisan they ate the Passover, leaving nothing of it until the morning, as they were commanded. When the morning of the 15th came, Israel, fully dressed, shod, and with much treasure from their Egyptian neighbors, departed Rameses.
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the 15 day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.Numbers 33:3-8
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Gathering Manna – Poussin
Having established a reasonable chronology of the Exodus it is necessary to turn to Exodus 16 in order to establish a basis for the weekly Sabbath cycle.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.Exodus 16:1
After arriving in the land of Sin, one month after the Exodus, Israel was now fully aware of the reality of their new life. The certainty of servitude had been replaced with the uncertainty of a life which required faith.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.Exodus 16:2-3
So YHWH sent them the “bread from heaven”. But the gift came with conditions. They were only allowed to gather the “manna” for 6 days. On the seventh day they were required to rest:
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread….. And he said unto them, This is that which YHWH hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto YHWH: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto YHWH: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:22-26
So the people rested on the seventh day. Exo.16:30
In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.
Now turning back to the Exodus chronology we can count these days of the weeks backwards to the 1st month. By this reckoning the Passover lambs were killed just before sundown on the 5th day of the week (14th Nisan). A few hours later on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began with the Passover supper, thus beginning the 6th day of the week.
Click on the image to enlarge:
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."
My previous articles onThe Messiah Factors made the case that the list of names in Matthew 1 was a purposeful arrangement of Yeshua’s lineage in order to show that He was indeed the Messiah promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. Not only did Matthew 1 provided us with the Messiah Factors of 13 & 14 but he also gave us a list of 41 names. These names, starting with Abraham and ending with Yeshua, represented 41 generations. My present article will explore the possibility that these 41 names are also the key to an even more far reaching prophetic picture. A panoramic view if you will, of YHWH’s redemptive plan for all mankind beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation.
Years ago, in early 2000, I became interested in long term economic cycles. I researched Kondratiev cycles, Elliott Waves, Armstrong Pi cycles, and Gann’s famous cycle work. The men for whom these cycle studies were named believed that human socio/economic behavior had some level of underlying order. Being one who actually believes the Bible to be an accurate representation of past history I wondered if I could find evidence of socio/economic cycles in the Bible. After all the Bible is full of historical records which describe bountiful harvests and great famines, great wars, and mass migrations.
According to the Biblical record, about 3500 years ago YHWH instituted three definable socio/economic cycles which governed the lives of the Hebrew people. These cycles were the daily Sabbath cycle of 6 days labor and 1 day rest; a similar yearly Sabbath cycle which concerned the use of land and Hebrew servitude; and a 50 year Jubilee cycle which governed the use of debt, slavery, and service. To make a long story short I wondered if these cycles had possibly left an echo which could still be measured in our present era. What I found changed my macro view of the Bible and set my course on path to the discovery of what I call the Jubilee Code.
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After the Exodus, one of the commandments YHWH gave Moses was a set of instructions which called for the canceling of all debts and release of all slaves in the year following 7 completed (yearly) Sabbath cycle (7×7 = 49+1). This 50th year, a “year of release” was celebrated on the Day of Atonement and became known as the Yowbel or Jubilee. (For more information on the Jubilee see my article The First Jubilee.)I found that these Jubilee cycles marked important events in the chronology of the Old Testament especially as it related to YHWH’s redemptive plan for mankindthrough Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. My articles on theMessiah Factorsshowed that Matthew 1 was the key which unlocked the prophecy of Daniel 9. A prophecy which bridged the five centuries between the Old & New Testaments. The first verse of the New Testament reads: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”. This verse establishes Yeshua’s connection to both Abraham and king David. As given the list shows 41 generations between Abraham and Yeshua. What is most exciting from a chronological perspective is that the Old Testament also describes 41 Jubilee cycles between Abraham and Yeshua. Yes, you heard that right! The list of Matthew was arranged to show Yeshua’s lineage as a series of Jubilee cycles. Further adding to the importance of this discovery is that there are also 41 Jubilee cycles between Adam and Abraham. The chart to the right gives a panoramic view of 41 Jubilee cycles and its relationship to the chronology of the Bible.
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The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, described the adoption of the Gentiles into the family of God through Yeshua. Paul states that YHWH, “when the fullness of time was come” sent his Son (Yeshua) to redeem mankind.
Galatians 3:29 – 4:5 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
If there was one theme I tried to show in my articles on theMessiah Factors it was that Daniel 9 was a prophecy of the coming Messiah as part of YHWH’s redemptive plan for all mankind. If we take a look at this theme in light of the Jubilee Code we see that indeed Yeshua came in the “fullness of time“.
When YHWH caused Judah to be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in 604 BC, this event began the period of 70 years captivity as prophesied by Jeremiah. (Jer. 25:11-12) What makes these 70 years stand out is that they began in the 70th Jubilee cycle from Adam.Shortly after the 1st captivity of Judah began, Ezekiel (Eze. 8-10) records the departure of the Shekinah from the Temple and Jerusalem. 70 years later YHWH announces that His Divine anger had ended and He had returned to Jerusalem “with mercies“.
Zechariah 1:12-16 Then the angel of YHWH answered and said, O YHWH of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. o the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith YHWH ; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
This period of Divine anger also began in the 70th Jubilee cycle. If you read my articleThe Fifth Command you recognize Zechariah 1:16 above as the Divine command “to restore and build Jerusalem“. The very command which started the Seventy Weeks of Daniel 9 and began the countdown to the Messiah. Take a look again at the chart above. Not only did the 70 years of Divine anger begin in the 70th Jubilee cycle but it ended exactly on the 71st Jubilee celebration. Further, since the first and last year of the Jubilee cycle overlap this year also marked the start of the 72nd Jubilee cycle. This year (520 BC) marked the half way point to the 144th Jubilee and the start of the 8th millennium. In other words, the Divine command which began the Countdown to the Messiah was given at the mid-point in a 7000 year plan of YHWH.
The third set of 70 years began in the 70th Jubilee with the destruction of Solomon’s temple. This 70 years period ended with the completion of the 2nd temple and its dedication in 516/515 BC during the reign of Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes.
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The Jubilee Code also provides a unique perspective on YHWH’s desire to dwell with mankind. After the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the Tabernacle was completed in the wildness under the instructions of Moses as given by YHWH. A short time later YHWH’s “glory” entered the Tabernacle. It was from this “glory” that YHWH spoke to Moses:
Exodus 40:34 – Leviticus 1:1 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of YHWH filled the tabernacle. …. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: … For the cloud of YHWH was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. And YHWH called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation…
After Solomon’s Temple was completed the “glory” or Shekinah presence of YHWH entered the Temple for a period of time. As we learned above the Shekinah left Solomon’s temple before its destruction and then just 70 years later YHWH had “returned to Jerusalem with mercies.” At some point YHWH’s “mercies” again left Jerusalem and His dwelling with mankind took the form of His Son Yeshua. Each one of these events began in a specific Jubilee cycle as you can see in the chart below.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt(tabernacled) among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore YHWH himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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In Part III of the Messiah Factors I looked at YHWH’s redemptive plan for mankind in terms of the promised “seed”. This promise took on new meaning when YHWH made His covenant with Abraham. The background to this covenant is a wonderful story of faith, doubt, and promise. As the Bible records, Abram and Sarai were not able to conceive children, yet YHWH had promised Abram to make of him a great nation. Finally after much heart ache and missteps (by Abram and Sarai) YHWH appeared to Abram in the 99th year of his life (Abram’s 2nd Jubilee) and told him that he and Sarai would conceive a child at “set time” (mow’ed) the following year. To make his point YHWH changed Abram’s name to Abraham. The name Abram had meant “exalted father” but YHWH wanted to made sure Abram understood his true purpose so He changed it to Abraham which meant “father of a multitude“. It is important to note here that both Abram and Sarah were past the years of producing children but by faith they believed the promise of YHWH.
Hebrews 11:8-13 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;….Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ….These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Genesis 17:17-19 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Because of Sarah’s and Abraham’s faith YHWH did make of Isaac a great nation. The Jubilee Code again offers a wonderful perspective on these events.
YHWH’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled just as He had promised. Isaac was born the following year at the “set time” or mow’ed. This year did indeed mark a very special time because Isaac’s birth fell right on the 43rd Jubilee.Later to test Abraham’s faith, YHWH asked him to sacrifice Isaac, his son. Abraham’s faith in YHWH’s promise, as expressed to his “young men” and his son, was a wonderful testimony to his belief. Read the passage below and see if you don’t agree.
Genesis 22:2-8 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning,…Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,…. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:….
YHWH’s sacrificial provision in place of Isaac was a picture of the future Messiah who would someday pay the price for mankind’s sins. 39 Jubilee cycles later that picture was fulfilled in Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah. The next Jubilee cycle, exactly 40 Jubilee cycles from Isaac’s birth the sacrificial system was brought to a close with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem (69-70 AD). Those events marked the beginning of what Yeshua described as the Times of the Gentiles in Luke 21:
Luke 21:24-25 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Romans 2:9-11Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
Romans 11:1-27 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. ……… (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. …….I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ….. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
The times of the Gentiles is only temporary. According to both Yeshua and the apostle Paul, at the end of this period of time Yeshua will return and “all” Israel shall be saved. From the point when the covenant was first confirmed with Abraham at the birth of his son Isaac, YHWH kept His covenant with the “seed” of Abraham for a period of 40 Jubilees. Today we are living in the 40th Jubilee cycle of the Times of the Gentiles. If YHWH intended for The Times of the Gentiles to be equal to the 40 Jubilees which proceeded it then we are truly living in the “last days” before the return of Yeshua.
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Final Thoughts
Towards the end of the next decade several Biblical cycles converge. My articleAfter Two Days showed that the apostle Peter, when comforting his Jewish brethren concerning the coming of Yeshua told them that “one day with God {YHWH} is as a thousand years“. I showed that this phrase was a reference to the prophecy in Hosea 6. About the same time as the “two days” of Peter ends the 123 Jubilee cycle from Adam completes. The 40th Jubilee of the Times of the Gentiles described above also coincides with the end of the 123rd Jubilee cycle from Adam. It’s worth considering here the words of Yeshua in Mark 13 and Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5. Both describe the events leading up to the 2nd coming (during the Times of the Gentiles) in terms of birth pangs. A woman’s pregnancy is normally 40 weeks.
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Authors Note:The information developed in this article is based upon over twenty years of research. The chronology involved took two years to complete in charted form. For those who would like to see the Biblical basis for the Jubilee Code you will find a PDF chart of chronology here:Chronology of the Old Testament. Please note this chronology is based upon the MT text of the Scriptures. Though the chart itself is solely my own effort I often turned to some of the great chronologists of the past and present to try and work out the chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah. I’ve appreciatively walked in the footsteps of the following giants of Biblical chronology: Ussher, Rawlinson, Newton, Rutherford, Davidson, and Jones.Please do your own due diligence as a Berean. Please note that the dates in this article should be understood within the context of the Jubilee & Sabbath cycles given. The dates are not a prediction of the Rapture or the 2nd coming of Yeshua.
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
As a student of Biblical history and ancient chronology there are few subjects more elusive and intriguing to me than the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. The following article is part of my research into the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles. It might surprise some of you to learn that the 1st Jubilee mentioned in the Scripture was a jubilee of days.
As with other of my articles which have graphics and charts I have reproduced this in a series of pictures. If you need it larger for reading you can use (Ctrl +) or just click on each image. I hope you enjoy the article. – William Struse
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
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."
The Bible tells us that the “spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus” (Rev.19:10) . Today many are concerned about the prophetic significance of the Shemitah as it relates to the financial markets but is this really where our focus should be? Don’t get me wrong, I do believe there is prophetic significance to the Shemitah and Jubilee cycles, but like every prophetic subject in the Bible they must first be filtered through the “spirit of prophecy”. The Bible describes the Jubilee and Shemitah cycles as special events where debts are canceled, land is returned to its original owners, and captives are set free. In Luke 4 Yeshua (Jesus) shows how he was in part a prophetic fulfillment of Shemitah and Jubilee law.
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before YHWH thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Deuteronomy 31:10-11
