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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word gifon Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular Your prayers and… and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I hesitate a little bit about bringing a message on the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy. There’s a reason because it’s very difficult to explain. And then I don’t know if you’re going to be able to follow me because it’s not as entertaining. It’s just the book. But I think it’s important because you should know that the Bible can be trusted, that it really is true. If what I’m going to speak on this morning is true, then everything else will make sense about the great commission, about your quality of life, about what you do and don’t do.

But you really believe, I believe there’s a lot of people who may have trusted Christ their Savior, but they really don’t have this deep burning desire to serve the Lord. And that greatly concerns me because we’re running out of time. The Lord’s coming back soon. I’m hoping that as I explain a few things, now I’m not going to hope anybody, I’m just just a pointer. I want to explain these things to you because understanding the 70 weeks to Daniel.

I believe is the key, the master key, the understanding, the rest of prophecy. Now I want you to take your Bible and look there in the book of Leviticus chapter 25. Leviticus chapter 25. In Leviticus 25 you’ll notice there in verse 1 down to verse 4. says, And the Lord spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai, sayin, Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord.

6 years thou shalt so thy feel, 6 years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord, thou shalt neither so thy feel nor prune thy vineyard.” Now you’d think from reading that, what’s that got to do with anything? Well just about everything and I want to show that to you. Now, he says, and the Lord is making the Moses in Mount Sinai, and this is what he said.

Remember, this is before they got into the land. This is what God told Moses to tell the people, when you get into the land that I’m going to give you, when you come into the land, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord. See, what does that mean? Well, you work the land for six years. On the seventh year, you don’t plan anything. You let it rest. He says the same thing for the vineyards and all. You prune it for six years.

But the seventh year, you let it rest. So this is what he told them to do. When they got into the land, they’re supposed to do this. Now, little did the people realize that Israel been taken out of the land, Israel being chastened by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylon captivity, coming back to the land. All these things has to do with them not obeying what God told them to do. See, a lot of times we think that the things that happens to us is just a coincidence, not necessarily.

There are no accidents with God. Now, every seventh year was supposed to be a sabbatical year, a year of rest. Just like when he says, you work six days, rest on the seventh day, and they were supposed to let the land rest that year. For 490 years, the Jewish people did not Pete the sabbatical years. For 190 years they didn’t do it. So they owed the Lord 70 sabbatical years. In other words, God says time to collect. You didn’t let the land rest like I told you.

So he’s going to take him out of the land for 70 years and let the land rest because they wouldn’t do what God says do. God’s collecting all at one time. Now you might not say that that’s in the Bible. But it is. He said, but in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of the rest unto the Lord, a Sabbath for the Lord. Thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard. Israel did not keep the sabbatical seventh year of rest for the land.

We have learned since then to have crop rotation or if we would let the land rest for a year, how much better we would probably be better off. The nation of Israel was what we call backslidden. Now you’ll find that word used in the Old Testament quite a bit. It means that they have backslid upon their commitment to God. They had made a vow, they promised God, we will, we will. In Deuteronomy chapter six, he says, whatever the Lord told us to do, we’re gonna do it.

And then they didn’t do it. No seventh year Sabbath, 70 weeks of years, 490 years. 490 years. So whenever we study the 70 weeks of Daniel, you’ll understand where this comes from because there is proof that this is true. Turn in your Bible to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, 2 Chronicles 36. And look at verse 14, they did not obey the Lord. And verse 14 says, more over all the chief of the priest and the people transgress very much after all the abomination of the heathen.

In other words, God’s people live in like the heathen. We want God to bless America, but America is living like the heathen. But anyway, so as not to get sidetracked, we’ll stick with the scripture today. And polluted the house of the Lord, that’s the temple, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. So the people did not do what God told them to do. Now, instead of reading all of these verses all the way down, I do want you to look down in verse 21, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed her Sabbath for as long as she laid desolate, she kept Sabbath to fulfill three score and 10 years.

A score is 20 years, three score, 60 years, 10 years, 70 years. God is going to keep his promise to them. Even though they rebelled against the Lord, God had promised. Moreover, all the chief of the priest, the people transgressed very much. After all the abomination of the heat, and polluted the temple of God, the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed. And the Lord God of their father sent it to them by his messengers, rising up behind and sending, Now get this, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

So God was patient. God gave them room. And we see the principles laid down in the New Testament. The Bible says the Old Testament written for our admonition, for us to learn from. And so we learned these things by watching, how did God deal with his people? And when they obeyed, how he blessed, And when they disobeyed how he chaste, it doesn’t mean that God is a bloodthirsty God. God had promised his people certain things and he wanted to bless them, but their rebellion cost him.

And they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words, misused his prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and that part in your Bible, you ought to honor, there was no remedy. In other words, it comes at time when God says, enough is enough, that’s it. And God will be good and gracious to us, but there come the time when God said, okay, time for you to come home. Or God’s gonna lower the boom and he’s gonna chase him.

Remember, God doesn’t bless this obedience. But there’s principles in the Old Testament that God gives to us. And these verses that we’re reading are in the Old Testament and they mean what they say. And the Bible says they were written for our learn, so we’re supposed to read it, it and believe it. Now, therefore he brought upon them the Lord did it the king of the Caledians who slew their young men with a sword in the house of their sanctuary.

So God says I’m bringing somebody in and they’re going to whip the tar out of you and had no compassion. Remember, he had compassion, but because there was no remedy. They wouldn’t listen to God. We have here in America, if people are not going to listen to what God says, do what God wants us to do, then God is going to chasten this country. And God can raise up heathen nations to destroy our country. Say, he wouldn’t do that.

Then you don’t know your Bible. You need to know the Bible because there’s lessons for us to learn. And it’s so very important. Jewish life are revolved around Solomon’s temple for 400 years. Solomon’s temple was a big temple, beautiful temple. Everybody talks about the glory of Solomon’s temple. Well, there came a time when God had to destroy that beautiful temple that had been built. So God did. He destroyed it. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king and of his princes, he brought those to Babylon.

That caused another problem over there with the king, Belchazar, who was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. So we have in the book of the Second Chronicles an outline, like keeping the books of kind of the history of what’s going on. And they burnt the house of God, break down the wall of Jerusalem and burn all the palaces thereof with fire and destroyed all the goodly vessels of the rock. Now this is what happened when Nebuchadnezzar came in. And this happened at the end of the time that God says, I’m fixing to collect 70 years from you.

So he brought them in and destroyed the nation of Israel and destroyed the walls and the city, the temple, and they took the treasures and took them to Babylon. All that didn’t have to happen. that happened because of the people of God who will not obey God. Now there’s a lot of things that will happen in our life that doesn’t have to happen, but they happen because of our rebellion to God, our disobedience to God, because we don’t take God seriously.

God takes it seriously. And then that had escaped from the sword care, he awaited Babylon, where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia. Now, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah. Now Jeremiah had wrote and told about what was going to take place and why it was going to take place. And then years later, about 69 years later, well lo and behold, Daniel decides to read the book of Jeremiah.

And he read what was written and he knew, hey, we got about another year to go and we’re supposed to be able to go back to Jerusalem. But he says, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbath, for as long implicated, she had kept the Sabbath to fulfill three score in 10 years, 70. Now, I want you to look up here just for a second. They did not obey God and let the land rest. So for 490 years, so God caused them to have Bible-owning captivity, 70 years of rest for the land.

That’s when they were in captivity. But that’s not all of it. Then God says there’s gonna be the 70 weeks of Daniel. Another 490 years. These 490 years are very important time periods because they’re telling us what’s going to happen in the future from the time that they were given. Prophecy is not just from our time forward but it was from their time forward when they were told by God. This is what’s going to happen. Now, this is where we are now.

This 70 weeks of Daniel. But it goes from a point to a point. And God says this is what’s going to take place. Now we’ll cover some more of this here in just a moment. But to understand the next 490 years is gonna be the 70 weeks of Daniel. But I wanna show you how we know these things are going to take place and why we come up with 490 years from 70 weeks of Daniel. It had already done it once, now it’s gonna happen again.

And Daniel was one of the young men who also was taken into captivity. We believe he was a royalty and also Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. Also were their young men used by the Lord. Now get this, after 69 years of their captivity, Daniel was reading the writing of Jeremiah the prophet. So that means if what Jeremiah said was wrote before Daniel. And Daniel is reading the book of Jeremiah that we read. And they saw what the prophet wrote and he wrote this.

Now we won’t turn there right now for the sake of time. But this is in your by a verse one and verse one and then he gave you the good. What was written and then he gave you the Lord and confess the nation of Israel. sense as though he was guilty of all of it. And yet Daniel had done no wrong. Daniel would just suffer in the consequences. Can God’s people suffer the consequences of rebellious people? Yes. Can America and believers in America suffer consequences because there’s so many of God’s people that will not take a stand?

Did you know there’s enough believers we estimate based upon what they consider to be a Christian in this nation to run this country as a righteous nation. We can have a righteous nation if we want to. You think of all the problems that we’re having and they’re talking about how they’re going to solve all of these problems in Washington. They created the problems. All those elected officials up there, they are the problem. But anyway, we won’t get sidetracked. Now, in the first year of Darius, the son of a hazardous, of the seed of the mead, because of the mead and the persons, remember, and Darius of the Persians, he says, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans.

In the first year of his reign, I dangle, understood by books. The number of the years were of the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet. So he said, I read the book of Jeremiah, and he came to understand that it’s supposed to be 70 years. Well, he knew that the time is about up. So he’s talking to the Lord for some revelation. He wants to know something. And that’s why Daniel chapter nine is a very important chapter in the study of prophecy.

That he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem. So because the land had not rested those four hundred years. 109. years. One year out of every seven, and God’s people wouldn’t do it. This is how Daniel knew of God’s promise to Jeremiah. And this is what we read for the safety of the Lord that after 70 years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word unto you or toward you in causing you to return to this place.

So later on, yes, lo and behold, He comes Israel, near Maya, they come back with all these people, and they got busy doing the things that God wanted them to do and build them the walls and build them the temple. So God had them back in the land. They built another temple, but it wasn’t like the first one. And the old men sit down and they wet because it had not the glory of the one that God had before that, which was Solomon’s temple.

But Ezekiel comes along and writes and tells them about a glorious temple, says Solomon’s temple won’t be like this new temple that’s going to be built. There’s another one going to be built. But anyway, in Jeremiah 25, 11, and this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment. And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years. Do you think these are just a coincidence? This was told before it happened. Israel, yes, they came back to their land and they established himself once again rebuilt their temple.

And that’s the temple that was extended when Jesus Christ came, but Herod came along and had built it better and bigger and it was called Herod’s temple. So when Christ came, he came right on time, right on schedule. And this is what makes the 70 weeks of Daniel so important. And it shall come to pass when 70 years are accomplished, I will punish the king of Babylon. See, God can take a nation that’s worse and meaner and uglier and wicked than what you are and use them to whoop you with a rod.

And then God will take and whoop them for doing that. So nobody gets away with anything with God. God raises up and God puts down. God blesses and God chases. God did not take a vacation. He knows what’s going on and he is busy in the affairs of man. In verse 24 says, 70 weeks are determined upon thy people and that’s Israel and upon thy holy city. That’s Jerusalem. So we know the 70 weeks. Or about Israel and about Jerusalem.

To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity. Now, we’ll explain that a little bit more in the just a minute. And to bring an everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. That’s what happens at the end of the total 70 weeks. The end of the 70th week is the end of the tribulation period which lies right ahead of us. And so many people not understanding the truth about the 70th week.

You’re gonna find out today. So it goes up until the king is anointed and begins the millennial reign, the thousand year reign upon the earth. Remember, one day with the Lord is a thousand years, a thousand years is a day. And so when you had six days rest on the seventh. So the first two days, 2,000 years up to the flood. Two more days up to Christ another 2,000 years. 2,000 years since Christ and the day of rest is right ahead of us.

Everything’s right on schedule. It’s not a joke, it’s the truth. If anybody wants to know if the Bible is true, they can know it if they really want to know the truth. The Bible is truly the Word of God. Use in scripture to interpret scripture. Genesis 29-17 says this, now this goes all the way back to Jacob. Jacob and his problem with his father-in-law. You see, he had a daughter, name was Rachel. He wanted a Marrier and he was willing to work seven years for that woman.

Well, he worked seven years.” And then he got the wrong woman. Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. Jacob loved Rachel and he says, “‘I will serve these seven years for Rachel by younger daughter.'” Now, if that ain’t love, you don’t know love. Would you work for somebody for seven years? And Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love that he had for her. Don’t that it’s get you a little taker up there?

I mean, for somebody to love you that much. And Jacob said in the layman, give me my wife for my days are fulfilled that I may go in unto her. And it came to pass that in the morning, behold, it was Leah, but it must have been one dark night. She must not have said a word all night long, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah. And he said to layman, what is this that thou hast done unto me, did not I serve thee for Rachel?

Wherefore then hast thou be guile me? You tricked me.” And Laban says, it must not be so in our country to give the younger before the firstborn, fulfill her week. And we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven more years. This is one of the ways, you know, the week is seven years, and it can and be used in prophecy, and it also does this in the book of Leviticus, I’ll show you in just a second.

But serve for seven years. And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week, which was seven more years. Now in Leviticus chapter 25, it says in verse 8, and thou shalt number seven-sabbaths of years under the seven times seven years. And the space of the seven-sabbaths of years shall be be under the 40 and nine years. So seven, seven, it’s 49 years. So it’s easy to figure out. So when we study the 70th week of Daniel, we know where he’s coming from.

And God gives a time period from a certain starting point until the Messiah would be cut off. So that anybody who read and studied the Scriptures, they would be able to know the exact time when Jesus was coming and the exact time when he’d go into Jerusalem riding upon a cult and when he was going to be crucified. It’s all laid out in the Old Testament. Now in Nehemiah 2 and verse 1-10 says, Nehemiah goes before Artaxes the king and asked for permission to go back and rebuild Jerusalem.

Because see this is what Daniel understood. All right, time’s up. Now they get to go back and the king Let them go and send a whole bunch of stuff with them.” And this is where you read in the book of Nehemiah and the book of God Ezra about what they were doing and building the wall and the temple and so on. God now gives Israel 490 more years after the Babylonian captivity. You see, things are broken down in periods of time.

That’s why you studied the Bible and in the process of time, in the process of time. Time has been processed. But see, life is made up of time. So when you waste time, you waste life. So God is the one who has designed this whole world and broke things down into periods of time. And some of these periods of time we call them dispensations, which we’ll be getting into later. Here are two 490-year periods. Now we know the first one, we’ve already looked at that.

And there’s 69 weeks of years, and that was from the very beginning, you’ll find out the restoration to go back and to rebuild the wall and the temple was seven weeks. So that’s why he says in the Daniel, until the Messiah shall be seven weeks. Then it says, and until the Prince, the Messiah will be 62 weeks, 62 and 7, 69. So until the Messiah is 69 weeks or a total of 483 years. So that’s until the Messiah is cut off in Daniel chapter 9.

That leaves one more week after Christ is crucified and come back from the dead. There’s a reason why everything is right on schedule. It’s not just nobody knows what’s going on and God just doesn’t, He hasn’t planned anything yet. So we don’t know what’s going on yet. Yeah, we do. It’s laid out in Scripture. So we have 434 silent years told up there, we got one week left because this is where from there they go back and to rebuild the city, the wall from coming back from Babylon until the Messiah, which will happen here, when he sets up his kingdom, put him in 70 weeks.

This is to finish the transgressions, although seven years is the tribulation period. Now, no therefore, an understanding that from the going forth of commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks. Seven weeks, that’s to build the temple. Remember in John chapter two, when it says, Jesus made the statement to them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again. And they said, 40 in six years was the building of this temple, and you’re gonna do it in three days?

Now, what temple do you think he was talking about? his body. And he kept his word, just like he said. But the Prince shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks. So after the temple, 62 more weeks or 434 years, total together 483 years. The streets shall be built again and the wall even in trouble this time. So this is going to take place. It’s going to happen right on schedule, just like God says it Now look up here once more.

You have until the Messiah, the Prince shall be cut off. That’s in Daniel when he’s talking about the 70 weeks. The 70 week minus this one week. Now when you read verse 27 in the book of Daniel chapter 9, coincides with Matthew chapter 24 and verse 15 where it says, and in the mist of the week, the mist of the week, when you shall see therefore the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, standing the holy place.

So we know that that’s going to be. But see, this is what convinced me, the Bible can be trusted. It tells all of this, and we haven’t even got to the New Testament. This is all Old Testament stuff. But it’s not just a dark book back there that doesn’t belong to us. No, there’s things that God has told us, and this is what builds your faith. It’s believing what God has promised. Are you ready to learn how to live your life life as a strong Christian, lead others to Christ, or excel as a church worker or ministry leader, then look no further than Florida Bible College of Tampa.

With traditional and online classes taught by instructors, with years of experience, Florida Bible College of Tampa can help you grow in your Christian life. Whether taking individual classes or working toward a one-year degree, Florida Bible College of Tampa is here for you. To learn more, visit online at floridabiblecollege.us. Call the Redistr Bob Gilbert at 850227 5325. That’s 850227 5325.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.