You may find the title of this post to be rather curious, I know that I would if it weren’t for the fact that this concept has had such a profound impact on the way I think about and understanding prophecy.
The number seven is oft-repeated in scripture and is an integral part of the creation, the temporal existence of the earth and the timing, duration, and sequence of prophesied events. It is symbolic of God in His wholeness, completeness, power, and perfections! We are introduced to it in the book of Genesis and it is key to the revealing, unfolding and predicting of last days events in the book of Revelation, which is truly a book of sevens.
It represents He who is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, who’s creative powers undergird and overarch all of creation and whatsoever was put into his power to create was put into his power to save! The God of sevens is, of course, Jesus Christ.
However, because there must be opposition in all things, there is flip side to the number seven that relates to the powers of the dark side, that is, it relates to how long and how far God will allow the dark side to go and it is arrived at by dividing the number seven by two. So we could say that prophetically speaking, 3 1/2 represents Satin’s schemes, deceptions, and plans, which are impotent, half baked and doomed to failure.
Because we find this value (3 1/2) expressed in God’s prophetic word, we can safely conclude that it conforms to His will and pleasure. Satin has no power other than what God permits.
The two most important manifestations of this value related to last days events are, first, the one that has to do with “the saints” and which precedes the coming of the Bridegroom and second, the one that has to do with the ”two witnesses” who “shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days” and leads up to the coming of the Messiah to the Jews.
We find the value of 3 1/2 expressed in various ways in scripture, for example in Daniel 7:25 we read, “and they (the saints) shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” So “a time” represents one year, “times” represents two years and “the dividing of time” represents one half of a year, giving us 3 1/2 years.
In Daniel 12:7 we have the same situation addressed in these words, “it shall be for a time, times, and an half half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
In Rev. 13:5,7, John speaks of this same event in these terms, “and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months… And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them”.
So there is to be a specific time, lasting 3 1/2 years or 42 months, when the saints are to “be given into his hand” and he is “to scatter the power of the holy people” and “make war with the saints” leading up to the events that are to unfold at Adam Ondi Ahman. This conclusion is made clear in the following passage from Daniel 7:
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, (when Adam Comes) and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Let us not confuse this 42 months with the 42 months that lead up to Christ’s appearance to the Jews when “the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” or “a thousand two hundred and threescore days” or 3 1/2 years. (Rev. 11:2-3)
We need to note that at the end of this 3 1/2 years, the two prophets who withstand Gogs army of 200 million are killed and “their dead bodies” lie in the streets of Jerusalem “three days and an half, and” they “shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.”
So we see again the significance of 3 1/2, that it represents half of seven and that it marks the timing and limits on Satin’s power, for the two prophets then “stood upon their feet… And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”
This same formula was also manifest in the life of our Lord when he came among the Jews and evil men were allowed to crucify Him after a 3 1/2 year ministry. So we conclude that the values of 7 and 3 1/2 are the Lord’s way of revealing prophetic events by the numbers if you will.
If we understand the meaning and recognize the unfolding of the prophecy of the 42 months given us by Daniel and John relative to “the saints” in these last days, we will see that it serves as a countdown of sorts, as Daniel says:
“and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, (when Adam Comes) and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”
Prophecy of the seventy weeks
Now, enough about this particular 3 1/2 years or 42 months for the moment, we now go to Daniel chapter 9 and the prophecy of the seventy weeks. We start with the title in our LDS scriptures which reads:
Daniel fasts, confesses, and prays for all Israel—Gabriel reveals the time of the coming of the Messiah, who will make reconciliation for iniquity—The Messiah will be cut off.
So, “Gabriel reveals the time of the coming of the Messiah”, that is, he gives a prophecy by the numbers (Care to guess what the most prominent number is going to be?) and predicts perfectly when the Messiah will come among the Jews and “make reconciliation for iniquity”, we read:
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
In verse 24 we read, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city”. What we are going to find out is that the “Seventy weeks” actually refers to both the Lord’s first appearance among the Jews in the meridian of time and the soon to unfold and glorious appearance when He shall come as the Jews long-awaited Messiah and rescue them from Gog and his armies! Gabriel goes on to say:
“from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”
So in other words, from the command “to restore and to build Jerusalem”, (See Nehemiah 2:1-8) 69 week will pass (7+62=69) and that marks the time when “Messiah (shall) be cut off, but not for himself”. So this appearance worked out just as the numbers said it would, prophecy by the numbers.
Now, one thing we need to understand is that each of these “weeks” is equal to seven years, so we have nested representations of the sacred number or 70 x 7 which gives a total of 490 years, but it is at the conclusion of the first 69 weeks or 483 years, that the Messiah came among the Jews to work our the infinite atonement. Now we turn to the last seven years or 70th week, we read:
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate” (verse 27)
So in this last week or last seven years, three significant events unfold. First, “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” or He will first come to those with whom He has renewed the covenant in preparation for His second coming or with the members of His restored church. This we look forward to in the near future when the Bridegroom comes to Adam Ondi Ahman.
Second, “in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”. So at the “midst of the week” or at the 3 1/2 year point, something happens, and what is that? Answer: Gog with his army of 200 million will lay siege to Jerusalem and we enter the second 42 month count down. The events of which we speak are documented in the 11th chapter of Relelation.
Third, “the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate”, in other words, the long-awaited Jewish Messiah will appear, devastate the vast majority of Gog’s army and appear in person to modern-day Judah. And they shall inquire, “What are these wounds in thine hands and in thy feet? And His response shall be “These wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God.”
This grand event will unfold in view of the righteous saints of all previous generations as well as those of us who remain in the flesh, for “the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with him”. (Zach. 14:5) There will surely not be a dry eye or a heart that will not melt among those who are so privileged as to attend! The memory of this day, will no doubt, remain in the hearts and minds of the righteous for the balance of eternity!
The seven feasts of Israel
We now turn our attention to yet another aspect of the sacred number, the seven feasts of Israel. In the 23rd chapter of Leviticus Moses teaches the children of Israel that they are to observe seven “holy convocations” or feasts. In Hebrew, the word “convocation” means “miqra” which translates as “rehearsal” and this is precisely what the feasts were. They were rehearsals for future events and thus were prophetic in their very nature.
Modern-day Judah continues to observe these “holy convocations”, they are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. Just as the prophecy of the 69 weeks pointed to the Lord’s ministry in the meridian of time, so too does the first four feasts of Israel.
Passover marked the crucifixion, Unleavened Bread, His time in the tomb, First Fruits marked the resurrection and Weeks was the day of Pentecost. So the question we need to be asking ourselves is if the first four feasts saw fulfillment in the meridian of time, will the last three feasts be fulfilled when he comes as the Bridegroom? If so, Daniel has already given the account of His coming, appropriately, it is to be found in Daniel chapter seven:
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened…
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Should we be surprised if the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles were to unfold at the time of this great assembly, should we further be surprised if the Lord were to make His appearance on the Feast of Tabernacles or the last of the seventh feasts? Would it not be perfectly reasonable if His Tabernacle were to actually come with Him? Would it surprise you to know that John gave a glorious account of this very event? We go to Rev. 21 and read:
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
We started by pointing out that the number seven “is symbolic of God in His wholeness, completeness, power, and perfections”. Should we, therefore, be surprised when He repeatedly weaves this sacred number into the prophetic word and the story of the end times? I’m going to say that if we were to delve deeper into the book of Revelation we could no doubt find additional illustrations of this concept. For example, is it just a coincidence that the 21 year-long half hour of silence is dividable by seven?
For a more complete discussion of the prophecy of the seventy weeks and the feasts of Israel, please download your free copy of The Bridegroom Cometh. Just click on the image of the book below. It is hoped that you have found this post to be informative and uplifting, please take a minute to share the link. Until next time, may God bless!
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