Episode Transcript
Welcome to God's. Last message to the world. Presented by Dr.
Allan Lindsay. This is an eight part series showing the certainty of Bible prophecy. The accurate fulfillment of past prophecies give confidence in those that are yet to be fulfilled.
This presentation is entitled Fixing the Time of its Appearance. Hello, and welcome to this second presentation. In the series, there'll be eight altogether with the very important title, god's Last Message to the World.
Welcome, no matter where you may be. Those in the studio, we're happy to see you here and also those who may be listening in some parts of the world wherever you are welcome. And may the Lord bless you as we open your God's word today.
As we think about the religious confusion in the world today and the Bible foretells that the world will be in a day of confusion in the last days, does the Bible give us any certainty for the message that I'm going to share with you today? I believe it does. So let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Our loving Father in Heaven, we thank you for your precious Word.
We thank you for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who has been promised to guide us into an understanding of truth. We ask for his presence today. And we ask that each one who is listening to this message may be blessed by his presence too.
And I ask this in Jesus'wonderful name. Amen. Before I commence this morning, I'd like to invite you to look at the chart that we had on the screen last time.
We'll be reviewing the chart and building on it during this presentation. You remember that last week we talked about how Daniel's book is the only book in the Bible. And you'll see this on the screen in the black, in the center, that Daniel's book was to be closed until the time of the end.
But then, when would this time of the end begin? It's a period of time leading up to the second coming of Jesus. When would it begin? Well, fortunately, the Bible doesn't leave us in any doubt. And in Daniel, chapter twelve, we are told that the time of the end would begin at the end of a period called a time times and half a time.
We had to turn to the Book of Revelation to discover that that time times than half a time is equivalent. And you'll notice it there on the screen in blue, a period of 1260 days in actual time. 1260 years.
Because in Bible prophecy, as we noticed, one day stands for one year. But when would that time begin, that 1260 year period? We discovered, as we looked at the Book of Daniel, chapter seven, that it would begin in the year 538 Ad. And that brings us to 1260 years afterwards, to the year 1798.
And in that year, the time of the end would begin, 1798. That was the year when Daniel's book was to be opened and understood. Well, what does it mean that Daniel's book was to be opened? You know, people have read the Book of Daniel, read its stories for many centuries, many hundreds of years.
After all, and this is important to remember, jesus himself told his disciples now that's 2000 years ago that the Book of Daniel foretold the coming destruction of Jerusalem and they were to be ready for it. And that was to occur about 40 years after Jesus died. And he tells them there in Matthew 24, look at it in the Book of Daniel.
And so the book of Daniel has been read, parts of it. Look at the stories, stories of the lion's den experienced with Daniel, the three young men who went into that burning hot, fiery furnace. Children have heard those stories for well, thousands of years.
Well then, what does it mean that the book of Daniel was to be closed up? Because Daniel makes it plain that there are some portions of the book, the prophecies, certain prophecies that would relate to the time of the end. And therefore it's important for us to know those prophecies. And when I stop to think about it, there is one prophecy in Daniel's book that was to be fulfilled, understood and proclaimed to the world in the time of the end.
And that's the prophecy we're going to look at today. As we shall see, this prophecy is going to play an important part in the opening of the Book of Daniel, but also in laying the foundation for the last message that God is ever going to send to this world. So let's turn to Daniel, chapter eight, the longest time prophecy in the Bible.
It is. And I want you to notice in Daniel chapter eight, as we stand looking at another vision, this is the third vision. And you may remember that last time I mentioned that there are four visions in the Book of Daniel.
There's the one in Daniel two that we looked at last time with the man with the head of gold and the breast and arms of silver. Those four metals in that dream in Daniel two represented four kingdoms. And finally at the end, God is going to set up his kingdom.
That's daniel two. Then we looked last time at Daniel chapter seven, which really repeats Daniel two, but does it in more detail. And that principle is going to be helping us as we study through the visions of Daniel, because when we come to the third vision today, we'll see it still covers those kingdoms, babylon, Meda, Persia, Greece, Rome, et cetera, but in much more detail.
And so let's look at what it says in Daniel eight. And verse one, it's telling us about a dream in which Daniel sees two animals. This time it's a two horned goat or a ram, and then a goat with a big horn between his eyes let's look at it.
The Bible says that in the third year of the reign of King Belshazza a vision appeared to me, to me, Daniel, after the one that appeared to me the first time. That's going back to Daniel seven. Then it continues I saw the ram pressing westward, northward and southward.
In other words, from which direction does the ram come? It comes from the east. No animal could withstand against him nor was there any that could deliver him from his hand. But he did.
According to his will and notice the last couple of words, he became great. You'll understand why I'm emphasizing that in a moment. Then it continues on in Daniel verse five.
As I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west across the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground. And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes, as you see in that picture. Then he came to the ram.
It says, that had two horns which I had seen standing beside the river and he ran into him with furious power. The Bible says. And Daniel's here describing his vision.
But he cast him down to the ground and trampled him and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand. In verse seven. But as we continue, therefore, the male goat grew and notice those words very great.
Remember, the first animal became great. This one becomes very great. But when he became strong, the large horn was broken and in place of it, four notable ones.
In other words, four horns came up toward the four winds of heaven. Then we read in verse nine and out of one of them, now that them refers to the four winds of heaven. Out of one of the four winds of heaven, in other words, one of the directions around where it rose came a little horn which grew exceedingly great.
Now, that's the reason why I wanted you to notice the first one, the goat, great. Then the sorry. The first one became great.
The second one, which was the goat that had that notable horn, he became very great. And then the third one becomes exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east and toward the glorious land. And it grew up to the host of heaven, this little horn.
And you'll notice what it does. According to this amazing prophecy. It cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground and trampled upon them and even exalted himself as high as the prince of the host.
And by him the daily sacrifices were taken away. And notice the place of his sanctuary, the heavenly sanctuary. The prince of the host's sanctuary would be cast down by this little horn power.
Then we notice in verse twelve because of transgression an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices. And notice the next words. He cast truth down to the ground that's this little horn power that follows the first two animals.
And he did all this and he prospered all this and prospered. Then in Daniel eight, verse 13, then I heard a holy one, one of the angels in this vision speaking. And another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking how long will this vision be concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot in the light of all that's preceded this? And Daniel's, no doubt very troubled by what he sees this little horn would do.
So the question is asked how long will this vision be from the days of the first animal to the end? And I want you to notice the next verse because in Daniel eight, verse 14 is the angel's answer to that question. And he said to me, for 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Days, remember, refers to years.
And so here is this description the sanctuary will be cleansed, whatever that means after the 2300 years. The word days is an interesting word meaning literally evening and mornings. And you'll see why I'm saying that a little later.
But there's a translation here that we've quoted on the screen that comes from the new King James version of the Bible. The word cleansed because it's such a comprehensive and very significant word in the Hebrew. It has a range of meanings.
I've noticed that other translations say the sanctuary shall be restored, reconsecrated restored to its rightful state, will emerge victorious. But the word has the idea of a cleansing and a vindicating of God's temple. The sanctuary, in view of the attacks of the little horn he would make against the heavenly sanctuary.
Well, what follows? Let's look at verse 15. Then it happened when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. Now, notice it's only having an appearance.
Why? Because notice what follows. And I heard a man's voice in verse 16 between the banks of the Uli that's a river who called and said, gabriel, make this man understand the vision. Let's just stop a little and think about that word Gabriel.
Who is Gabriel? The Bible tells us that he is the leading angel in heaven. And he's mentioned coming to this earth only four times. They must be very important occasions.
What are they? Twice in the Old Testament. Twice in the New Testament. What are the two occasions when Gabriel comes down in the New Testament, he comes down to announce to Mary the birth of Jesus.
A very important occasion. The other occasion is when he appears to the father of John the Baptist telling him that there's going to be a baby boy who will play a very important part in preparing the way for the Messiah. And the two times in the Old testament.
One is in Daniel eight that we've just been reading. And the other time in Daniel, chapter nine. Why do I mention that? Because that must mean that when Gabriel comes, it's something very, very important that God is wanting to make clear to the people dwelling on the earth.
And so the command is given, make this man understand the vision. In other words, Gabriel was sent to help Daniel to understand the meaning of what we've just read in scripture. Well, let's follow on.
And notice here is this chart that we have on the screen. And you'll notice that unto 2300 days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. That's the prophecy that we're looking at today.
Well, let's continue on. And, Ronotice, in Daniel eight, verse 20, the beginning of Gabriel's explanation. The ram which you saw having two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
Now, you remember that in those visions we've looked at earlier, last time, that Medo Persia was the second kingdom to follow Babylon. Babylon doesn't feature in this vision because Babylon is soon to be replaced by Medo Persia, the great kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. So the ram which you saw, they're the kings of Media and Persia.
And as we look at the map, you can see that the Persian Empire was a fairly extensive empire. That's the kingdom represented by this ram with the two horns. But then the angel goes on.
Gabriel goes on and says, the male goat, he represents the kingdom of Greece that followed Medo Persia in those world kingdoms. And the large horn between his eyes, gabriel says he's the first king of Greece. And so when we look at the Grecian Empire, we notice that it's larger than the Medo Persian.
Remember, the vision said Medo Persia will be great. Greece will be very great, as you see there on the screen. And that horn between his eyes represents the first king of Greece.
Who is the first king of Greece. I noticed in reading a history book recently that it actually says that in the history book that Alexander was the first king of Greece, alexander the Great. The horn was to be broken, and in its place, four horns would come up instead of the major horn.
What happened? The horn was broken. Alexander the Great died very young. Comparatively, he died in his early he was asked on his deathbed, according to history, who will take your kingdom when you die? And Alexander the Great, whether he was wise or foolish, I'm not sure, but he said, Let it go to the strongest.
And after he died, his generals began to fight among themselves as to who should be the strongest to take over Alexander's kingdom. Finally, four of them. Remember what the Bible had said.
Four of them said, no, let's divide up the kingdom into four. And there you see on the screen, it was divided up among four generals. Seleucus, Lysimicus, ptolemy and Cassandra, the four divisions.
Let me just pause here for a moment, friends. This is an amazing prophecy. More amazing prophecies are going to follow.
But this remember, this book was written in 551 BC. Well, Alexander died 323 BC. That's nearly 200 years later.
And then the division into those four kingdoms occurred in 301 BC. And so more than 200 years have passed. And the Bible, this is one of these amazing things in the Bible that God knows the future, and he could foretell the future accurately, even though he was looking more than 200 years in advance.
Then, in verses 23 to 25, we won't take time to really spend time on looking at those details. But Gabriel goes on to talk about the work of the little horn power that would become exceedingly great. And inasmuch as the divisions and the animals have represented meda, Persia, then Greece, we go back to the earlier visions.
There was another kingdom after those two, the kingdom of Rome. And in this vision, Rome would become exceedingly great. And if we put on the map on the screen, it would take over much more than even Greece.
And Medo Persia ruled. And in this little horn becoming exceedingly great, we see the Roman Empire first of all, and then after it, papal Rome, as we learned in our last presentation, who would come up and do the damage to the Lord and his work, as the Bible tells us. Now, the next part of the vision that Gabriel is about to explain, he's talked about the goat and he's talked about the ram and he's talked about Rome, the Little horn that would come up.
The next part of the vision is the 2300 days, or evenings and mornings. And he's now about to start to tell Daniel all about the 2300 years. So let us notice here what happens next.
Gabriel says in verse 26, and the vision of the evenings and mornings, that means days. That's what he's about to talk about. And the vision of the evenings and mornings, which was told is true.
Please notice that this is on the authority of the angel Gabriel, that the vision that we're about to look at is true. Gabriel says so. And the vision of the evenings and mornings, which is told is true.
Therefore, seal up the vision. Now, we've heard those words before. Seal up the book.
Now, this particular prophecy also was to be sealed up, for it refers to many days in the future in Daniel nine, verse 26. But Gabriel doesn't continue his explanation of the vision of 2300 days. Why not? Because in verse 27 and I, Daniel fainted and was sick for days afterward, I rose and went about the king's business.
He says, I was astonished by this vision, but no one understood it. Now, Daniel had heard the explanation for most of the vision from Gabriel. The only part he didn't really understand was the vision of the 2300 days, and Gabriel had only just got to the place where he said, that vision is true, but it's seal it up because it applies a long time in the future.
And then Daniel fainted. The meaning was well interrupted, to say the least. And we read as we follow this very interesting story in Scripture, that as a result of this, daniel had to wait for further explanations from Gabriel.
Well, we notice now that Gabriel after this, it says here, while I was speaking and praying and confessing the sin of my people and my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy mountain of my God. Gabriel comes back, because very soon after he'd had that sickness, some years actually passed by. And then he's worried, obviously, about what he'd seen about this 2300 evenings and mornings, and he's praying.
In fact, it's the longest prayer in the whole of the Bible in Daniel chapter nine, the very next chapter. And in the middle of the prayer, or perhaps it's more accurate to say when we look at it toward the end of the prayer, who should reappear but Gabriel? And what does he say? Gabriel says, while I was speaking and praying or Daniel is saying while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin, that suddenly, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning reached me about the time of the evening offering and he informed me and talked with me and said, oh, Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. Now, remember, way back, Gabriel had been told, make this man Daniel understand the whole of the vision.
Gabriel had done that until he'd come to the 2300 years that was interrupted because Daniel got sick. And now Gabriel comes back again, and he says, daniel, I've come to finish the explanation. I've come to explain to you what the 2300 year prophecy really means.
Well, at the beginning of your supplications, that is, at the beginning of your prayer, gabriel says, and this says something about what happens in heaven when we pray. At the beginning of your supplications, the command went out, and I've come to tell you why. Look at that wonderful answer.
Gabriel says to Daniel, for you are greatly beloved, therefore understand the matter and consider the vision. He's about to explain the vision of the 2300 days, and he does so by introducing another Bible prophecy, which, if I can wet your appetite, is probably one of the most amazing prophecies in the whole of the Bible. Here we see that the 2300 years would reach down into the time of the end, and we've got to go back to the beginnings to hear the explanation that the angel Gabriel gave.
Let's have a look at it. First of all, I want you to notice in verse 24 that it says 70 weeks. That's the beginning of Gabriel's explanation.
70 weeks are determined for your people. Now, again, he used an interesting word, the word determined, because it's associated with another word that it can be translated into called cut off, that the 70 week period was to be determined, but cut off. Cut off from what? He's there to explain the 2300 years.
Therefore, he's saying cut off 70 weeks from that period of time. And then we'll continue the explanation of the 2300 years. As we look at this 70 week period, we notice this that 70 weeks have seven days in them.
And when we multiply 70 by seven, it's 490. And 490 is equal to 490 years because it was days, and a day represents a year. So what? So the angel Gabriel is really saying that from that long period of time of 2300 years, we've got to, first of all, cut off a period of 490 years.
Know, therefore and look at verse 25 as it comes on the screen. But here we see 490 years cut off, leaving 100, 810 years on the right hand side left before we reach the end of the 2300. Well, as we continue, verse 25 gives this amazing prophecy.
Know therefore and understand, Gabriel says, that from the going forth of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah, the prince shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks. And then he says, the streets shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times, because remember, Jerusalem at that time was in ruins. But he's saying that the day is going to come when the city of Jerusalem is going to be rebuilt and restored.
And then he says, therefore, that from that time until the cleansing of the sanctuary, we have a long period to consider. Know therefore and understand. Look at this prophecy that I've put on the screen.
From their going forth of the command to rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah comes shall be 69 weeks altogether. And when we look at the screen, 69 weeks, which is one short of 70 multiplied by 7483 days or years. To me, every time I think about this, my friends, I stand in amazement at the God who knows the future, and he's revealed it to us.
And in this amazing, that's the only word I can use prophecy, Daniel, is being told sometime in the future there's going to be a command given to restore and to build Jerusalem. It's in ruins now, Daniel, but there's coming a time when a decree will be given to rebuild it. From that time unto the coming of the Messiah will be 483 years.
Think about this. This is being given to Daniel 500 years before the time of Christ. And yet God is revealing to Daniel and to us the very time when the Messiah, the Promised one way back from the days of the Garden of Eden, will be given to Daniel, the coming of the wonderful Christ, who's going to be born to save the world.
And so here we see the 69 weeks. I want to divert just a moment to show something to you. You know, some time ago, there was a man called Dr.
Peter Stoner who wrote a book called Science Speaks. Now, Dr. Stoner was the former chairman of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy in the Pasadena College, and he wrote a book called Science Speaks.
And he made some calculations that I want to share with you, even though I hope it won't be too involved. But he was a mathematician, this man, and he knew about the law of probability. Now, let me explain the law of probability mathematically.
If I say to you, look about a special event, the chance of one man coming and doing that on Wednesday in a week, the chance of that happening on Wednesday rather than the other six days of the week would be one in seven. One chance in seven that it will come on Wednesday. If I add another statement by saying, well, the chance of that happening not only Wednesday, but Wednesday, day or night, let's say the chance of it happening on Wednesday day time is one in two, either day or night.
Then the law of probability says the chance of a person or an event happening on a Wednesday during the day is one chance. In 14, you multiply the seven by the two. Now, a bit of evolved mathematics, I know, but what this mathematician did, he said, suppose that there were just eight prophecies in the Old Testament.
What's the chance of one man fulfilling all those eight predictions? And in his book, he discusses the eight predictions that he chooses and looks at each one of them and says, what's the chance of that happening and that happening and that happening? Then he multiplies them together, and he says, for one man to come and fulfill eight predictions is look at it. One in ten raised to the 17th power, which is one followed by 17, zeros. Suppose there are eight prophecies.
The chance of one man fulfilling eight prophecies is one, whatever it says in the screen. But then he said this, and you can read it in his book. It's available on the Internet.
Suppose that there were not just eight prophecies, but 48 prophecies. What's the chance of somebody being born into this world that fulfilled all 48 predictions? And look at the screen. It's one in ten raised to 157th power.
That is, one followed by 157 zeros. Notice that. What's the chance of somebody coming and doing fulfilling 48 prophecies? It's one in that mount.
Almost impossible for one man to come and fulfill those prophecies by accident. But then there was another mathematician, Dr. Elinthus Gregory, who worked out suppose we add just two more prophecies, one prophecy to tell us where on Earth the Messiah will be born and the other prophecy, what time in human history will he be born? The chance of one man fulfilling all of those prophecies 50 now exceeds the power of numbers to express.
But, dear friends, God has not just given us in his word 50 prophecies. Bible scholars tell us that there are more than 300 predictions in the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus. If you couldn't express a number big enough, when there are 48 or 50, what would it be when God has given us 300? You know, somebody has said to me once, there wouldn't be an honest atheist or infidel in the world if they studied the 300 predictions in the Old Testament, because the chance of somebody fulfilling those 300 by accident is just it's impossible to think that anybody could do that.
And so I've mentioned this to you because does the Bible give us the time and the place for the prophecies of Jesus? Is there one text in the Bible that tells us that where Jesus would be born? Of all the places on the earth, there is in Micah five, verse two, Bethlehem. That's where he's going to be born. That was hundreds of years before he came.
And does the Bible give us the time when Jesus would come into human history? Yes, as we shall see, as we study this amazing prediction. Let's go on. Know therefore, verse 25 and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, there shall be seven weeks.
Two weeks, and the streets shall be built again, and the wall even in troublesome times, we must ask the question, therefore, what is the date for the decree to rebuild and restore Jerusalem? Because once we know that date, that's the beginning date, everything else is going to fall into place. Do we know that there was such a decree? Actually, when we look into the Bible, we find that there were three. Now, this may surprise you, but there are three decrees that the Bible gives us.
They're all recorded in the little Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. The first decree was by a king called Cyrus in 537, and that's found in Ezra, chapter one, verses one to 14, darias 520, ezra, chapter six, one to twelve. And then there is the third decree.
And can I just say this to your friends. Of the three decrees, the only one that deals with building and restoring those other decrees talk about building the city of Jerusalem and even the temple. But the only one that restores the government of Israel and makes it a nation on its own right, which is required by that decree, is the decree by Artaxerxes.
Ezra, chapter seven, verses one to 26. This is such an important decree in the light of what we need to know in interpreting Daniel that God has actually inspired Ezra to write out the decree in full, just as Artaxerxes gave it. And we know.
When it was. It was given in the 7th year of the reign of Artaxerxes, in the year 457 BC. Without having time without the time to explain why.
But may I just say this? That date 4557 is one of the best attested dates in ancient history. God made sure of that because so much depended on what would follow. Well, there it is, 457 BC.
And from that time, 69 weeks look at the chart. 69 weeks should bring us down 483 years to the year 27 Ad. And in that year, what should happen according to Daniel's prediction from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, it's the only verse in the whole of the Bible that fixes the very year when the Messiah would come.
But if 483 years brings you to 27 Ad. That's the appearance of the Messiah, does that mean to say that he'll be born then can't be born not 27 Ad. That's not his birth.
What then does it refer to? What does it refer to? What does the word Messiah mean? I'm going to show you something that's important. In John, chapter one, verse 41, we read this interesting verse. He first found his brother Simon.
This is referring to one of the disciples, Andrew. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, we've found the Messiah, which is translated the Christ. Notice that when we refer to Jesus Christ, christ was not a surname, it's more a title, a status.
Jesus the Christ. Jesus is the Messiah. That's what that word really was meaning.
So here the word Messiah means the Christ. That's a Hebrew word. Christ is a Greek word.
And in English he's the anointed one. Ah, so from the days from 483 years would extend from the going forth of the commandment until the Anointed one appears, the Christ, the Messiah. What does that mean? When did Jesus become the Anointed One? Again? Let's look at Scripture in the book of Acts, chapter ten and verse 37 and 38, that word, you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the baptism, which John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.
Notice that the record says there in the book of Acts that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit at the time of Jesus baptism. Now let's look at the amazing prediction. Dear friends, in the Gospel of Luke, chapter three, I read these words now in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, notice the date.
You know, God is wonderful in terms of providing the evidence to support our faith in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. And then he lists it to make sure we don't miss what happens in that year. Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip, tetrarch of iteria, the region of Trachonitis and Lasanius Tetrarch that's an office, the word Tetrarch of Abilene.
While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness, and he went into all the region around the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Why does Luke go to all the trouble of recording the things that happened in the 15th year of the reign of Caesar? To provide the faith to us. That was the year Jesus was baptized.
And we read in Luke, chapter three, verse 21, when all the people were baptized in that 15th year of the reign of Caesar, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized. And while he prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit look at the words descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him.
And a voice came from heaven which said, you are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. What happened in the 15th year of the reign of Caesar? 27 Ad. Right on time, jesus became the anointed one by the Holy Spirit at his baptism.
How marvelous. But there's another very interesting event that followed this that just confirms what I'm saying, because soon after his baptism, jesus was visiting his hometown of Nazareth. And what happened the day that he went there? I read in Luke 416, so he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.
And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he'd opened the book, he found the place where it was written.
Now remember, he's coming into the synagogue to church on Sabbath morning, and he's handed the prophecy of Isaiah, the prophet in the Old Testament. And he deliberately finds this text when he is given the copy of the script, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Why? Because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. That's why this wonderful Jesus came to this earth, to relieve suffering and to restore and to transform our lives. But as we go on to set at liberty to those who oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Then when Jesus had finished quoting that text from Isaiah, it says, then he closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. This is the boy who had grown up there in Nazareth, and now he's speaking to the people in 27 Ad, just after his baptism.
And then we read and he began to say to them, today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Isn't that wonderful? Jesus is now saying, after reading the text, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he's anointed me. Those people in the synagogue knew that that was being connected to the Messiah because it means the Anointed one.
And Jesus said, this day the scripture is fulfilled. And the year, of course, was 27 Ad. Well, does the Bible, in its prophecies, tell us of anything that was to happen after 27 Ad.
Let's have a look at this. Did the Book of Daniel predict anything to happen after Jesus was baptized in 27 Ad. 69 of the 70 weeks had gone.
Jesus had been baptized at the end of the 69 weeks. One more week that was allotted to the Jews as a period of probation remained of the 490 years. Let's have a look at this in Daniel nine, verse 26, after the 62 weeks, that is, after 27 Ad.
Messiah shall be cut off. This is still in this prophecy in Daniel, the Messiah would be cut off. He would die, but not for himself.
And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. So there's two predictions here. It says, after the 62 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off.
He will die. This is way back in the Book of Daniel. This is being written, but not for himself.
He wouldn't die for himself, dear friends, as I think about this, he would die for you and for me and for the world at that time. He's referring also here that one day the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed and the sanctuary, the temple as well. And that, of course, was fulfilled 40 years after Jesus died.
What happens? That text doesn't tell us when during the week. It just says sometime after 27 Ad. In that last week he would die.
The very next verse in Daniel says, then he, the Messiah, will confirm a covenant with many for one week. That's that one weeks, the 70th week. But in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
I stand amazed, dear friends, when I think of this in the middle of the week, three and a half years after Jesus was baptized in the year 31 Ad. Jesus died, but not for himself. Think about this as we look at our screen.
It was just halfway through that 70th week, 31 Ad, that Jesus was raised on a cross and died for the sins of the world. How amazing. Not only does it foretell Jesus baptism, his death, but also how long his ministry would be.
Three and a half years. That's this wonderful prophecy in Daniel, chapters eight and nine. But then we are to continue on, because we notice that there follows another date, because three and a half years, if it's the middle of that week, three and a half years on either side, then three and a half years after 31 Ad.
Brings us to 34 Ad. That's the end of this 490 year period. That was allotted to the Jewish people as a period of probation.
During that time, God was going to send his son to die for the world. The Jews, instead of accepting that you remember, rejected. Jesus and Daniel had warned them a long time before that.
After the Messiah died, only three and a half more years remained before the Jewish people were rejected as a nation because of all the Old Testament stories of them rebelling against God and walking with him for a little while and then disobeying him. And that's the story of the Old Testament. God is now saying, I'm giving you 490 more years, he said to Daniel.
And that elapsed in 34 Ad. I want you to notice as you look at that diagram on the screen in that three and a half year period, 31 to 34 Ad. Knowing that probation was soon to finish for the Jewish people, jesus said something very important to them.
Speaking to his disciples in Acts One, verse eight, he says this but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me. Now, he's saying this to the disciples just before he goes back to heaven. He's telling them to be witnesses.
But have you ever noticed the order in which Jesus gave that instruction? You shall be witnesses to me. In whereabouts? First Jerusalem, and then in Judea, and then in Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. Why did he start with Jerusalem and Judea? Why were the disciples to take the Gospel first there, not to all the nations of Europe beyond? Not then, because three and a half years remained of that period of probation God had given to the Jewish people.
Three and a half years, 34 Ad. What happened then in 34 Ad. What event brought that 490 year period of probation to a close? Well, we read about it there in the Book of Acts of how Stephen the deacon was in prison because of the false charges that were being brought to him.
And finally he came before the Sanhedrin that was the leading council in Israel, and he preached to them a sermon which is recorded there in the Book of Acts, chapter seven. Read it sometime, a powerful sermon. And at the end of that sermon he said to them, you have murdered the Messiah.
And you can imagine the reaction. The Bible says they were gnashed in their teeth and they approached him with stones, led him outside the city and killed Stephen. That day, the Jewish leaders, the ones in the governing council, heard the last appeal for the Gospel, for them to accept the Messiah.
And the year when Stephen was stoned, 34 Ad. When we remember those events some years later, paul was preaching in a little town of Antioch in Presidia. And as he was preaching there that day, he noticed that the people and there were many Jews in the audience, and it's recorded in Acts, chapter 13.
Many Jews were in the audience, but got very upset when he started to talk to them about Jesus the Messiah. And at the end of his sermon, I want you to notice the words that he spoke to them. It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you the three and a half years of probation.
But since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. Why did Paul say that day to the Jews who were very upset in that little town? You Jews had to hear it first. But seeing you have rejected the message, we're going now to the Gentiles.
And that happened in 34 Ad. Exactly three and a half years after what had preceded it. How marvelous is prophecy.
God was giving to his people the offer of salvation for the last time. As a nation, individuals, yes, they could continue to hear the Gospel. But as a nation, God was now saying, I'm going to give it to the Gentiles, and I'm going to raise up the Christian church to take the Gospel to the whole world.
How wonderfully God had prepared the way. And when we add 1810 years to Ad. 34, when Stephen was stoned, it brings us to the year 1844.
In that year, under 2300 days or years, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 1844, that was the date. And that was the year when I stop to think of Jesus life, his baptism, his death, dear friends, and remember that this is the essence of the Gospel, the good news of why Jesus has come to bring us salvation.
I just think of that text, you know, what manner of love has our Father bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God because of what Jesus died to accomplish? I remember, dear friends, the story of a legal case. It really is true, this story. In 1830, George Wilson was robbed, had robbed a mail train and had held the life of the driver of the train in jeopardy, threatened to kill him.
And when this came to the knowledge of the law situation, he was condemned to death for his crime. But later he was pardoned by the President of the United States. The pardon was presented to George Wilson when he was in the cell waiting to die.
And George Wilson refused to accept the pardon from the President. He said he wished to die, and his attorneys went to the authorities and said, you can't execute a man who's been pardoned. And do you know that case went to the Supreme Court of the United States of America? I'm going to read to you the decision of the court.
A pardon is a deed to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may even be rejected. And if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in this court to force it on him.
It may be supposed that no being condemned to death would reject a pardon, but the rule must be the same. And George Wilson was executed. The only man in the history of the United States who was executed though pardoned.
My dear friends, have you accepted the pardon that Jesus died to give to you, or are you rejecting that pardon? It may be supposed that no being condemned to death would reject a pardon, but the rule must be the same. And so they had to hear the Gospel first among the Jews and then to the Gentiles. As we consider our chart, as we close, I want to take you back to look at those very early times that we have considered this afternoon for a very considered today because of a very important reason.
And that is that when we look at the chart, we notice that on the right hand side, at the top there is the date 457. And we come down through time. 70 weeks, 490 years brings us to 34 Ad.
But the 69 weeks you remember came to the Messiah. Why do I put this chart on the screen before I close? Because I want to remind you, dear friends, that if Jesus was baptized in 27 Ad. The 15th year of the reign of Caesar, if that date's fixed in history, then you've only got to go back 483 years and you come to 457.
And if 457 is right, what does that say about the year 1844? You've only got to add 2300 years to 457, and you come to that year, the year of the cleansing of the sanctuary. Let us bow our heads in a word of prayer. Dear loving Father in heaven, we thank you for your prophetic word.
We thank you for its power, for what it reveals to us about why Jesus came. May we open our hearts to the Messiah and accept the pardon that he died to give us. And may we continue to be blessed as we study further what's going to happen in 1844.
And we ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen. You've been listening to God's last message to the World, a production of 3ABN Australia television presented by Dr.
Allan Lindsay. For more information, visit GLM.3abnaustralia.org.au
