Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levitan.

Gideon Levytam: The study of Daniel chapter 9. So if you if you see and we can we can divide it later on again seven weeks plus 62 makes 69 plus one week here and that's make us together 70. 70 weeks equal 490 years. So if somebody is asking you a question how long time these 70 weeks of Daniel are being spoken about? Well the answer is simply this it is 490 years in its totality from the beginning to the end. Now number three that is important to understand if we are going to understand this prophecy what we need to learn in the third point here the third point is that these 490 years are necessary to accomplish six things.

These 490 years are necessary to accomplish six things found in verse 24. Let me read read it again. We're going to talk a little bit about those six things. 77s or let me even take these two words together and say 490 years are determined upon Israel and upon Jerusalem to and here is the six things to finish their transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring an everlasting righteousness to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the holy of holies. Now as we are speaking about those six things remember and I purposely read it in that way so it make it easier for us.

490 years are determined upon Israel and upon Jerusalem to 1 2 3 4 5 6. Let's just talk a little bit about those six things that are necessary in order to accomplish in other words in order to accomplish some things that God want to accomplish through this prophecy through the nation of Israel. Now notice that six things. The first thing that it's necessary to accomplish is to finish the transgression. Now there is a capital here there is a the word the becoming before transgression. It's not only merely a transgression but it is the transgression. Do you know what this has a reference to?

The transgression has a reference to the direct transgression of the nation of Israel where Israel is a nation refuse to accept the Messiahship of Yeshua. The transgression here is not so much to deal with general transgression but to deal with the nation of Israel that the transgression of Israel refusal of the Messiah will finished. He says to finish the transgression. You know Israel have not accepted the Messiah at his first coming but Israel will accept the Messiah at the second coming of the Messiah. Let me show you couple of verses here for a minute. Turn to Isaiah the prophet chapter 59 and I read just couple of verses.

Isaiah 59 verse 20 speaking about the transgression talking about the second coming of the Messiah and the redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them they turn from transgression in Jacob says the Lord. The redeemer will come to Zion. Oh yes the redeemer came out of Zion as well. I Romans teaches us this but he will come to Zion and as it says here to them they turn from transgression in Jacob. That is the nation of Israel. When Israel will finally will recognize the Messiahship of Yeshua turn back to Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 is a very well familiar chapter.

Let me just read couple of verses in Isaiah 53. Look at the first coming of the Messiah. My people our people the Jewish people the nation of Israel did not acknowledge the Messiahship of Yeshua in his first coming. Already Isaiah saying it 700 750 years prior to the coming of the Messiah. Notice verse one. Who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He has no form no comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief and we he as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows and we did esteem him stricken and smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace fell upon him and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid upon him the iniquities of us all.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted and he opened not his mouth as a as he is as a as a lamb brought to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shearer is dumb so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living for their transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he has done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth.

You see what Isaiah is saying here is that Israel as a nation did not accept the Messiah. This is what we have in Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24 the first of the six things that those 70 weeks that those 400 years 490 years will do is is to accomplish or to finish Israel's transgression of the rejection of the Messiah. Now turn to the New Testament please. The transgression we are speaking about the transgression Israel have not accepted our Messiah our Messiah. Romans 11 and verse 25 and 26. For I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

By the way did you notice what it says here and what it says in Isaiah 59 20? In Isaiah 59 20 it says that the redeemer will come to Zion. In Romans 11 26 it says that the redeemer will come out of Zion. Both are true but the one that Isaiah was speaking has to do with the with the future day that has to do with the the redeemer will come to Zion and will turn if you will the the the ungodliness of Jacob the Jacob finally will accomplish or what God want him to accomplish and to accept Yeshua the Messiah.

Until then until then it is still the transgression. And those 490 years are necessary to finish the transgression which means when the Messiah going to come in his second coming and Israel going to accept him that will be the end of the transgression of the nation of Israel of the refusal of acceptance of the Messiah. Go back to Daniel. That is the first thing that was necessary to accomplish in these 490 years. Secondly secondly it's found also in verse 24 not only to finish transgression notice the second thing. The second thing it is to make an end of sins.

Notice the word sins is in plural. Sins that has to do with day by day sinning you know. Would you please turn the cassette? Those 490 years will be necessary to make an end of sins. These are more or less daily sins that departure from God a a lifestyle that is not honoring to the Lord and I'm speaking about now it's dealing specifically with the nation of Israel and of course the Messiah's work on the cross also has to do with your sins and mine but I want you to see in context that he's speaking about the nation of Israel that it will it will make an end of day by day continuous sinnings which dishonor the God of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob.

I got couple of verses for that as well. Isaiah turn turn back to Isaiah couple of books back again chapter 27. Isaiah 27 verse 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged. And this is all the fruit to take away his sin. When he make us all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten in sunder the grows and the images shall not stand up. Jeremiah chapter 31. Jeremiah 31 also an interesting verse. Verse 31. Jeremiah 31 and verse 31. Speaking about the new covenant that God would make and he made with the nation of Israel that they haven't come their covenant is with Israel though the blessings of the covenant they haven't entered to enjoy and it says here behold the days come says the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my covenant they break.

Although I was a husband to them says the Lord but this shall be the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after these days says the Lord. I will put my law in their inward parts and I will write them in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the list of them to the greatest of them says the Lord. And listen and I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their sin no more.

You see beloved that is speaking in Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24. The second important thing that is necessary to be accomplished by those 490 years it is the making an end of sins. Number three now. Chapter 9 of Daniel verse 24 number three. The first one to finish transgression or the transgression. The second one is to make an end of sins. Listen to the third one. It is to make reconciliation for iniquity. To make reconciliation for iniquity. Now what is to make reconciliation for iniquity? That has to do now with the sin nature. You know Israel just like you and I we have a sinful nature.

We have a nature that is good for nothing. A nature that God had to deal with it once and for all. How did he deal with it? He dealt with it at the death of the Messiah. When Yeshua the Messiah died everyone that trusted in him received a new nature. Now you and I might not see our new nature but there is something happened when we have accepted the Messiah we received the new nature. The old nature is that which says I want to do I want to go my way. The new nature is that which says I want to do God's way.

And there is a constant friction between the two. You remember Galatians 5 the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and they are contrary to each other. You know no wonder every day of our life you and I getting up getting up in the morning and we say you know I want to please the Lord. This new nature says but the old man says I I want to go my way. And and the new nature says God help me I want to read the scripture and I want to follow you and I want to live for you and the old nature says just stay in bed and have good time and have a nap.

Who cares about the Bible and the things of God? And there is a constant friction between the two. Well Israel has the same problem and Israel who hasn't yet accepted the Messiah they they haven't dealt as it says here with the reconciliation for iniquity haven't been dealt yet with the nation in its totality until they come to faith in the Messiah in the second coming. And so that deals with the sin nature the internal condition of the nation of Israel nationally. You and I when we came to faith in the Messiah in Yeshua have dealt with it once and for all when we have already accepted him but Israel haven't yet.

Some of us Jewish people have accepted him already but the nation in in its totality haven't yet and that is awaiting the future day when they are going to accept Yeshua the Messiah and the Bible tells us in Zechariah 12 10 they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they are going to mourn and they are going to confess their sins before him and as it says here they will be a reconciliation for iniquity. Okay beloved this is very important. These 77s these 490 years are dealing with Daniel's people Daniel's city Daniel's Israel Daniel's Jerusalem and six things are necessary to accomplish in these 490 years.

Number one to finish the transgression. Number two to make an end of sins. Number three to make reconciliation for iniquity. Let's look at number four now. Listen to the number four beautiful verse a beautiful passage. Number four is to bring listen to bring an everlasting righteousness. An everlasting righteousness. This has to do with the Messianic kingdom. The Messianic kingdom has to do here with the everlasting righteousness. Let's go to some verses in Isaiah again. Isaiah chapter 1. Isaiah chapter 1. Everlasting righteousness. Well you know what we live in an unrighteous world. To have an everlasting righteousness where righteousness will rule we need the Messiah to reign.

It has a reference to the Messianic kingdom chapter 1 and verse listen verse 26. Isaiah 1 26. And I will restore thy judges God speaking to Israel as at the first and thy counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called listen the city of righteousness the faithful city. You see there is no righteousness today in the city of Jerusalem even though it is the city that God has named he placed his name upon that city but there is no righteousness. And by the way there is no righteousness nowhere in this world. When the Messiah is not here and he is not reigning as king of kings and Lord of lords there is no righteousness.

In fact we live in a time where there is so much unrighteousness. Now he's saying in Daniel 9 and verse 24 to bring notice it doesn't say to bring a temporary righteousness. It says there to bring an everlasting righteousness. Isaiah 1 26 speaking of Jerusalem and speaking of the nation of Israel where God says afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness the faithful city. Go to Isaiah 11 for a minute. Isaiah 11 is a very well known passage that often time we read it in in our in our fellowship Holy Scriptures and Israel Bible fellowship in Toronto and we read these particular verses as we are speaking about the Messiah.

Listen to this. Isaiah 11 the first a few verses there. And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. The spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord and he shall make of him quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither shall reprove after after the hearing of his ears verse four but with righteousness shall he judge the poor.

Notice verse five. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loin and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Can you imagine? You know here the Isaiah is prophesying concerning the second coming of the Messiah when he's going to rule and reign in righteousness. You know what? Nothing will pass his eyes which will be unrighteous. You know sometimes you go to the courts even today and and listen none of us like to receive a just righteous verdict if we have done something wrong we don't like to be punished but you know what? When a Messiah will reign he will judge fairly all the way through.

He will judge righteously. There will not be unrighteous judgment when he comes. In fact it says that he the girdle of his loins will be righteousness. He's not going to judge according like it says here with with the sight of his eyes neither according to the hearing of his ears but he's going to judge in righteous ways. That's the time. The 490 years of God's discipline for the nation of Israel are necessary to accomplish also everlasting righteousness. And that was the fourth things that we have mentioned in a Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24. Let me repeat those four again.

Number one to finish the transgression. Number two it is to make an end for sins. Number three is to make reconciliation for iniquity and number four is to bring an everlasting righteousness. Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 11 and also we can look at other verses but we're not going to look at them. Jeremiah 23 and Jeremiah 33 as well has to do with the righteousness that the Messiah will bring about at the end of those 490 years of Daniel prophecy. Number five. The fifth thing that is necessary to be accomplished is found in verse 24 almost towards the end.

Listen to that to seal to seal up the vision and the prophecy to seal up the vision and the prophecy. That's mean to fulfill the prophecy that God had given concerning the first coming and the second coming of the Messiah. In other words those 490 years will be necessary. All the promises that God had given to the people of Israel through Isaiah through Jeremiah through Ezekiel through Daniel through Malachi Malachi and so on and and all the prophets Amos and Obadiah and you can look at all the verses and all the prophets that God has given to Israel in order to accomplish the promises of God through these prophets.

490 years are necessary to be accomplished or to be to go through or to go to go all the way from 1 to 490 years. And now here's the final one in verse 24 and notice what it says and to anoint the most holy one or in other word the holy of holies that has to do with the millennial temple which God will bring about in a future day found in the book of Ezekiel chapter 40 all the way to chapter 48. That is the six thing. In other words what we learn here that one day there will be a a a a temple a built a Messianic temple in a future day which we have the dimension of it in a in in the book of Ezekiel and those 490 years will be necessary to bring about the fulfillment of the building of the temple in Jerusalem in the second coming of the Messiah.

So having said this so far verse 24 is a very very important verse. Verse 24 tells us that from the beginning whenever it's going to start the 490 years all the way to the end it is necessary to have 490 years to accomplish this particular six things that we've just learned in verse 24. And over all these years as you're going to look at this all together is necessary to accomplish those six things in connection with the nation of Israel to finish the transgression to make an end for sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in an everlasting righteousness to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy or the holy of holies.

I would like to stop with this verse if you don't mind. Next time our next meeting together we're going to finish completely Daniel chapter 9 and I can assure you that even we'll stay a little bit longer. We're going to finish 25 26 and verse 27 so we can conclude Daniel chapter 9.

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.