The Feckless King

"Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?"

Ezekiel 38:13

Many have noticed there has been a lot of talk lately concerning the coming conflict between a coalition of nations and the nation of Israel found in the prophecy about the Gog Magog War.  When we read what Ezekiel has to say, we see we are given a list of nations that join to attack Israel, yet what is even more interesting is the fact that God tells us of a few nations that don't. This is what we find in the Gog Magog passage above.

While I’m sure that many will recognize this passage from Ezekiel’s prophecy about the coming war led by Gog, there is something I believe is very important contained in it that many may not be aware of.  It has to do with the identification of the nations which decide to sit on the sidelines and do nothing to help Israel.  What we find is that these people question the motives of Gog and the alliance, but they don't participate, or for that matter, interfere with what occurs. So who are these people, and does their identification really matter? I think it does for I believe it will give us a more accurate picture of the possible timing of this event if we can figure out who they are and examine their foreign policy positions with Israel today. 

Fortunately, as always, we can look to the Bible to answer our questions, and to do this we go to Genesis to find our first clue. There we are told;

"Then Again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country."

Genesis 25:1-6

Here we find information about the many descendants Abraham had. We see that the sons of Keturah, which included his grandsons Sheba and Dedan, relocated from Israel to the east. If you look closely at a map, you find there is only one thing east of Israel, and that is the deserts of Arabia. Two very famous and well-respected archaeologists, Wendell Phillips and W.F. Albright have identified Sheba as being on the southwestern part of the Arabian Desert, and Dedan being located in the northern part. In fact, the capitol of Saudi Arabia has, and still is called Dedan on many maps. 

So if we can support the premise that Sheba and Dedan is in fact the present nation of Saudi Arabia, what about "the merchants of Tarshish"? Again, we can find references in the Bible that will help us figure this out. There are several verses in the Bible that mention Tarshish, but I want to use just one to try to explain the position many scholars take on what the Bible is referring to here. The most well-known reference is found in the book of Jonah, where in opposition to God's instructions, Jonah decides to flee. We find when we read in the very first chapter;

"Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the lord, and went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.     Jonah 1:1-3

Now most who have studied this story understand that it is all about choosing to do the opposite of what God instructs us to do, which is exactly what Jonah chose to do. God told him to go to Ninevah, which was located in what would be present day Iraq, and instead, he chose to go the opposite direction to Tarshish, which required the use of a ship to travel over the sea. The obvious picture here is that God told him to go east, and he went west! Although many have tried over the years to identify a specific city as being the ancient city of Tarshish, no attempt has ever produced enough evidence to gain popular support. However, if you look at all the passages in the Bible that refer to Tarshish, it becomes apparent that it seems that rather than trying to pinpoint a specific location, God is trying to show us a direction, and that direction is west. The following excerpt is from an article by Rick Gunter.

The Bible definitely gives the indication that Tarshish was far away from Israel. It was believed to be at the ends of the Earth, as far away as one could possibly go in the known world at that time.  The first time it is mentioned in scriptures as a place, it states that King Solomon sent his ships there to trade. It took three whole years to make the trip, and “…the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys” (2 Chronicles 9:21 NKJV).

Another clue comes from Ezekiel in the Lamentation for Tyre:  “Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, and tin for your goods” (Ezekiel 27:12). Silver and iron were minerals that could be found in many locations in the area of the Mediterranean Sea.  However, tin only came from a select few places. Tin was a very important and valuable raw material for the ancient world. In the late Bronze Age and into the early Iron Age, tin was a necessary ingredient for making bronze.

There is a long narrow peninsula in southwest Britain called Cornwall. Sometime in the geological past, great fissures occurred in the granite. Magma from beneath the Earth’s crust welled up into these cracks and crystallized, leaving behind many different minerals. One of these minerals was tin. Archeologists have determined that mining began in Cornwall back in the stone age—maybe as long ago as 2000 B.C. In fact, in ancient times, the British Isles were known as the Cassiterides, which means “Tin Islands.”  

http://thechristianpulse.com/2018/09/22/where-in-the-world-is-tarshish/

We also know that the historian Heroditus described Tarshish as being beyond the pillars of Hercules”, which refers to the straights of Gibraltar in the south of Spain. Another point that might seem to support this conclusion is that the word “Britain” comes from the Phoenician word Baratanac, which is translated “land of tin”.   So let's consider these conclusions in light of what we know for sure. The "merchants of Tarshish", which includes the "young lions" are engaged in trading or commerce with Sheba and Dedan, and choose to not get involved in, or interfere with, the attempted invasion of Israel. Yet while the attitude of Saudi Arabia might be understandable, one would have to wonder why Britain would adopt this same attitude with their long history of friendship and involvement with the nation of Israel.

feckless: adjective…Careless and irresponsible. Feeble or ineffective. Spiritless; weak; worthless.

The nation of Britain is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a King or Queen descended from the royal bloodline whose origins can be traced back as far as the tenth century.  While technically the Head of State, the King has no executive or legislative role, his desires certainly affect the decisions of the Parliament.  The coronation of King Charles III will be a week from today and while I can’t say for certain that he will be the King when Ezekiel’s prophecy is played out, many certainly believe that the events of Ezekiel could occur at any time.  That said, the Bible also makes it clear that Tarshish, or Britain if we are correct in identifying it’s modern day name, will choose to sit on the sidelines and allow Russia to attempt to invade the nation of Israel.

I’m also sure it is just coincidence that this past week Russia made it’s thoughts on Britain quite clear.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/04/22/medvedev-off-his-meds-ex-russian-prez-threatens-to-send-eternal-enemy-britain-into-abyss-with-nukes/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-russia-war-russia-will-send-disgustingly-damp-britain-into-the-abyss/ar-AA1a8eal

The nation of Iran chooses to ally itself with Russia in the Gog Magog war.  It is no secret that the House of Saud is afraid of aggression from Iran for many reasons, including the fact that two of the three most holy places to Islam, Mecca and Medina, are located in Saudi Arabia. Iran's president has made no secret of his devotion to Islam, his anticipation of the arrival of the Islamic messiah called the Mahdi, and the creation of an Islamic nation that will rule the world. Control of the holy places of Islam is certainly high on his list, and Saudi Arabia is well aware of this, so we have a very good reason why Saudi Arabia will not interfere.

I believe many would find it incomprehensible that Britain would make the choice not to get involved in this conflict. Britain has a long history of engagement in the Middle East and it was the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which paved the way for Israel to become a nation.  The decision to abandon Israel when their very survival is at stake could only be described as a result of a feckless leadership.  Fortunately for Israel, there is a King who will come to their defense and the world will see just who has the power to rule with a “rod of iron”.

Keep watching.

Not Consumed

"For I [am] the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
Malachi 3:6 NKJV

A report was released this past week by the press in the Middle East in which plans by Iran to attack the state of Israel were outlined in detail, alarming many in the region.  If you have followed my thoughts for any length of time, and are familiar with Bible prophecy, the fact that Israel will be attacked by its enemies comes as no surprise.  What might come as a surprise, though, is my firm belief that while certainly concerning, for the most part these attacks will be fruitless.  Before I explain, however, please read the following articles listed below.

https://www.newsrael.com/posts/fo4xm318yl

https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-threatens-to-destroy-tel-aviv-and-haifa-as-israel-marks-holocaust-memorial-day/

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-739393

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-politics-are-in-chaos-are-its-enemies-poised-to-take-advantage/

Within 48 hours, no less than 40 military instructors with Iranian citizenship crossed the Iraqi-Syrian border and entered the city of Albu Kamal.

This group was heavily protected by forces belonging to the Iranian Ministry of Defense.

The instructors were deployed in several districts:

Deir ez-Zor district

Homs

Dar’a

Damascus

Sweida 

Iran's abnormal activity in Syria continues unhindered.

Amir Tsarfati

https://t.me/s/beholdisraelchannel

Now I want to draw your attention to the passage we began with from the book of Malachi.  The context of this verse is from a prophecy by God concerning His future judgment on the nation of Israel.  What I want you to notice though is His statement that “you are not consumed”.  In simple terms, what I and many others believe is that Israel is being protected from its enemies by God for the express purpose of being preserved for His judgment, and the fulfillment of the seventieth week prophesied by Daniel which is also known as the tribulation, or the time of Jacob’s trouble.  The following is an excerpt from Jack Kelley’s commentary on that prophecy from Daniel.

Sitting upon His heavenly throne, God decreed that six things would be accomplished for Daniel’s people (Israel) and Daniel’s Holy City (Jerusalem) during a specified period of 490 years. (I’ve inserted the word “place” after Holy at the end of the verse to clarify the fact that it refers to the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.)

We should be aware that in Hebrew these things read a little differently.  Literally, God had determined to:

1.  restrict or restrain the transgression (also translated rebellion)

2.  seal up their sins (as if putting them away in a sealed container)

3.  make atonement (restitution) for their iniquity

4. bring them into a state of everlasting righteousness

5. seal up (same word as #2) vision and prophecy

6. anoint (consecrate) the most Holy place (sanctuary)

In plain language, God would put an end to their rebellion against Him, put away their sins, and pay the penalties they had accrued, bring the people into a state of perpetual righteousness, fulfill the remaining prophecies, and anoint the Temple. This was to be accomplished through their Messiah (Jesus) because no one else could do it.  Had they accepted Him as their savior their rebellion against God would have ended. Their sins would have all been forgiven, and the full penalty paid for them. They would have entered into a state of eternal righteousness, all their prophecies would have been fulfilled, and the rebuilt temple would have been consecrated. It should be noted here that although it appears to have been accepted by Him, God never dwelt in the 2nd Temple, nor was the ark of the covenant and its mercy seat ever present therein.

https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/the-70-weeks-of-daniel/

While we know that Israel will be attacked by its enemies at least twice in the future, revealed to us in Isaiah 17 and in Ezekiel 38,39. We also know that these attacks will not be successful because God is reserving judgment on Israel for Himself.  These reports of Iran and others coming together to attack, however, are obvious signs that the age of grace is about to end and the world is being prepared for the time that God will once again intervene in the affairs of men.

The good news in all of this, though, is that in order for God to finish His work with the nation of Israel, the Church must be removed via the event we call the rapture.  At a time when so many in the body agree that all the pieces are in place for the seventieth week of Daniel to begin, the choice to accept God’s grace by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ is the most important one you will ever make.  If you have never taken the step of asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart and save you from eternity without Him, I encourage you to do that right now.  Simply tell Him you are sorry for your sin, ask Him to forgive you, and accept the sacrifice He made to die for your sin, and He has promised not only to forgive you but to make you one of His own and come into your life and provide all the help you need to begin to live for Him.  I am convinced His return is much closer than we may think.

 

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They Won't Like What They Get

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”  Romans 11:25  NKJV

If we were to attempt to describe the direction our country, and the world as well, has decided to move in the past few years an adjective used more and more lately is the word “divisive”.  Unfortunately for us as a society, it seems to have escaped notice that one of the world’s oldest strategies for achieving victory in any conflict is “divide and conquer”.  While many might argue the point, it seems perfectly obvious to me that the author of the divisiveness running rampant in our country today is none other than Satan, and his agenda is succeeding spectacularly.

There will be those who would call this an oversimplification, but if we choose to accept that this fight is spiritual in nature it follows that there exists only two sides; believers and non-believers, us and them.  That said, how often have you heard an argument lately where someone uses the pronoun “they”?  Most often, it seems, I hear it used such as “they” want us to do this, or “they” want us to believe such and such.  Of course, let’s not forget the most common usage; “they want to control us”!  While I will leave the identification of who “they” are to you, for the purpose of this discussion we will simply consider there exist only the two sides mentioned above, and I think the Bible makes it clear that eventually, “they” get what “they” want. 

“When does that happen” you ask?  As believers, I think most would agree that it occurs after the rapture of the Church, when all true believers in Jesus Christ are instantaneously removed from this earth to meet with the Lord in the air and go to live with Him in our heavenly home for all of eternity.  As revealed by Paul in the passage above, that event occurs when the full number of believers is arrived at, and the Church in God’s eyes is complete.  At that point in time, the Church is taken, the “restrainer” or Holy Spirit is removed as well, and “they” are left behind to experience the world "they" have always wanted.

“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”  Revelation 6:3-4  NKJV

Utopia: an ideal place or state, or an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

Dystopia: a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.

It might sound odd, but at that instant in time, believers get what they want, and those left behind get what they want.  The problem though, is that while believers are rewarded with indescribable riches and eternal happiness with our Lord and Jesus Christ, instead of the utopia “they” expect, “they” are rewarded with a dystopian world of unimaginable sorrow.  While “they” ignore if not outright disbelieve what the Bible has to say about what happens on this earth after the rapture, the picture God paints of life when “they” get what “they” want is one which no one in their right mind would want to be a part of.

According to the passage above, the very first result of the rapture is that peace is removed and violence of almost unimaginable severity begins to occur.  Although it will most likely come as a shock to them, rather than rejoicing that believers have somehow disappeared and the world “they” have dreamed about arrives, “they” begin to kill each other off.

“When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”  Revelation 6:5-6  NKJV

Most scholars agree that what we are told in these verses is that inflation runs rampant.  The economic system we enjoy now somehow disappears and “they” will have to spend an entire day’s wages to purchase enough food for just one day.

“When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”  Revelation 6:7-8  NKJV

Here we are told that the next result will be famine, obviously resulting in violence as people are willing to kill in order to survive, which certainly makes sense considering how expensive food will be.  Most commentaries also consider the death that follows in this passage is a result of global pestilence, which seems entirely logical taking into account what conditions are going to be like. Those same conditions, apparently, cause the beasts of the earth to turn on humans and see them as a source of food for survival. 

“And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”  Revelation 6:15-17  NKJV

Most of us are familiar with the expression “have, and have not’s”, but it would appear in this passage that rich or poor, powerful or weak, everyone is going to be affected in such a way as to try and hide as best they can in order to escape what takes place in the world at this moment in time.

“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”  Matthew 24:22  NKJV

Some have taken the position that Jesus is saying here that the period we know as the tribulation is shortened from the seven year length revealed to us elsewhere in the Bible.  My thought here is that, rather, because He is responding to the disciples questions concerning the end of the “age” what He is saying is that God cuts short this period of time at seven years.  I believe the reason is clear. If God did not stop the tribulation after seven years and allowed this age to proceed, eventually man would simply cease to exist as “they” would sooner or later kill themselves off.

In years past, when I have taught on the book of Revelation, a common reaction was disbelief that the world could degenerate to the point where these events could occur.  Maybe in the past that position could be considered understandable, but my question to you today is have you watched the news lately?  This world is willingly being led down a path by Satan that has only one end.  Unfortunately, the sad result is that in the end, “they” get what “they” want and it certainly won’t be the world they expect.

When the rapture of the Church occurs, those who have made the choice to accept His gift of eternal life will go to be with Him forever for eternity. If you have never made the decision to accept that free gift I encourage you to do so today.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that right now by praying a prayer just like this one;

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen." 

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He Has Risen

 

"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him."  Matthew 28:1-9 NKJV

Rejoice indeed. Because of the resurrection, we all have the opportunity to share in His power over death. It is a gift, freely given to anyone who chooses to believe. Have you ever considered the fact that as a believer in Christ, you are immortal? Death has no hold over us for we have the promise of eternal life, and to prove it, Jesus rose from the dead to show us He alone has the power. 

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 

John 11:25-26 NKJV

“Persistent unbelief in light of contrary evidence is willful ignorance!”

"Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe."  Mark 16:9-11  NKJV

"After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either"  Mark 16:12-13  NKJV

In the above passage from Mark we find that the disciples were presented with the testimony of at least three witnesses to the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead in Mary, and then two of their own.  Yet for some reason they still chose not to believe what was being told to them.  Now maybe, just maybe I could understand how difficult the fact of the resurrection might be to believe if it were not for the fact that Jesus Himself had told them that this was exactly what was going to occur before it ever happened!

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”                         Luke 9:20-22  NKJV

So what would your reaction be to someone who refused to believe even though the evidence presented to support a position met all the criteria necessary by established legal principles?  I daresay your thoughts would be less than kind, and truthfully mine would refer back to all of the passages in Proverbs which describe fools.  Does that seem harsh?  Maybe it would help to look at Jesus’ reaction to the disciples and their stubborn refusal to believe the evidence.

"Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen."  Mark 16:14  NKJV

Do you believe?  This is the most important question that anyone will ever be asked.  If you can answer yes, your place in eternity in the presence of our Lord and Savior is guaranteed.   We can know this because God has promised us that all who believe will have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 NKJV

"And it shall come to pass [That] whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved."  Acts 2:21 NKJV

"And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:30-31 NKJV

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."  John 10:9 NKJV

My prayer is that if you have never made the decision to believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again for you, you would decide to do it today. Invite Jesus to come into your life and forgive your sins, and begin to experience the joy that comes from having a relationship with a living God, and the knowledge that He has promised us eternal life with Him in Heaven if we only believe.

Have you made the decision in your own life to know the power of His resurrection? If not, you can right now by praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered you by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.

He lives!

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A Reason to Watch

“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things [that make] for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19: 41-42 NKJV

One of my favorite memories of when I was an intern at a church in Southern California in the 70's was getting together with friends who were attending seminary and come up with a list of questions we would use in a game we called bible trivia. One of the questions we came up with was "how often does the bible say Jesus wept?". Of course, though most wanted to say once, it was obvious that by asking the question there must be a different answer. 

Tomorrow is the day Christians around the world celebrate what is known as Palm Sunday. It is the day that Jesus of Nazareth rode a colt into Jerusalem to present Himself as the coming Messiah, promised by the prophets of the Old Testament. But although virtually every Christian knows that, many don't know the circumstances surrounding it and the fact that those circumstances caused our Savior to weep.

If you look at the passage in Luke you will find that as Jesus approached the city from the direction of the Mount of Olives, "He saw the city and wept over it". Why would Jesus weep at the sight of the city of Jerusalem on the very day He came to proclaim Himself as the Messiah? That question is answered in the following verses where we see Jesus say that the people did not know the "time of your visitation". In other words, Jesus was holding the people accountable for not knowing the day that He was to appear. 

"For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, "and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." 

Luke 19: 43-44 NKJV

Now this obviously leads one to ask how they were supposed to know the exact day the Messiah was to appear in their presence if God had never told them? The trouble with that is what I have come to call "The Forgotten Prophecy". The truth is, God had indeed told them when the Messiah would come but the religious leaders of the day, the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the people themselves had totally forgotten it.

In the book of Daniel, a prophecy is given which reveals the seventy week scope of Israels' future. What many fail to realize from this prophecy is the reason that it is broken up into two parts, sixty nine weeks and the seventieth week. You see, what Daniel and the nation of Israel were to discover is that this prophecy predicts the exact day that the Messiah would appear. 

"Know therefore and understand, [That] from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, [There shall be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 

Daniel 9:25 NKJV

In these verses Daniel is told that there will be 69 weeks from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah would appear. The word here for "weeks" is "shabua" which is what is called a "heptad", meaning it stands for a group of seven. In this particular case, it stands for a period of seven years, so what Daniel is being told is that there would be a period of 69 "weeks of years" or exactly 173,880 days from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the day the Messiah appeared. (69 x 7 x 360 days/year)

The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus on March 14, 445 BC. You can find that referred to in Nehemiah 2. If you add the period of time Daniel was given, 173,880 days, you arrive at Sunday, April 6, 32 AD which we now call Palm Sunday, the week before Easter and the very day Jesus wept when He saw the city. Why did He cry? Because even though God had gone to such great lengths to predict the exact day His Son would arrive as the Messiah, everyone had forgotten it. We know from history that the nation of Israel paid a terrible price for this forgetfulness as in 70 AD Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the period of wandering known as the diaspora began. This was also prophesied in the passage from Daniel;

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

Daniel 9:26 NKJV

So tomorrow we begin the same week that saw the passion of our Lord so many years ago. Every year many watch to see if God has something planned for us on the anniversary of the first appearing, especially as we have plenty of evidence from history that God does in fact choose to use the same dates on the Jewish calendar to allow events to occur that have biblical significance. I personally find it interesting to note that a tradition in Israel is to pour a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah at the end of the Passover meal and to open the door to let him in. Since many believe that Elijah is one of the two witnesses that return at the beginning of the tribulation period, or the seventieth week of Daniel, I can't help but wonder if this is a clue to the timing God has in mind?

So what does this all mean for us? Speaking only for myself, I can't forget the fact that Israel paid a terrible price for not “watching” for the appearance of their Messiah. The truth as well is that the diaspora was only the beginning of their troubles because the seventieth week of Daniel, which we know as the tribulation, is still in their future. That being the case, how can I not ask myself if God has something planned for those who are not watching for Jesus' return for His church as He commanded us to do in the New Testament? Just as the people were unaware of the time of Jesus' first appearing, how many believers today ignore the signs which Jesus' told us to watch for and are even now happening all around us?

The first three of the seven feasts of Israel occur in the next week, and the one most of the world will celebrate is the Feast of Firstfruits which we know as Easter Sunday. It's the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb where He was laid after His crucifixion. Jesus has told us, His followers, to watch for His return. He went to even greater lengths to tell us what to watch for so we would recognize the time of His appearing. My question to you is this: "Are you watching?"  An even better question is have you made the decision to accept the free gift of salvation offered to all by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  If not, I encourage you to do so today so that not only will you spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven, but you will also have a reason to “watch”.

At this most holy of weeks when we celebrate the Resurrection, let us not forget the promise of Jesus' return, and the responsibility that goes along with the command to actively "watch" for it. It's coming soon. 

Keep watching.