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 Levittan.

Gideon Levytam: The study of Daniel chapter 9 The king said unto me for what does thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king if it please the king and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight that thou would send me unto Judah unto the city of my father's sepulcher that I may build it. Notice it concerned here with not so much the building of the temple but the building of the city. Verse 6 and the king said unto me the queen also sitting by him for how long shall thy journey be?

And when will thou return? So it pleased the king to send me and I set him a time. Moreover I said unto the king if it pleased the king let um letters be given to me to the governors beyond the river that they may convey me over till I come into Judea. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertain to the house and for the wall of the city. And for the house that I shall enter into and the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

Let's stop here. You see Nehemiah apparently was a cup bearer. He was he was the wine the one that will taste the wine before the king will taste the wine lest somebody will poison the king. Well as the king was wine was before him we read in chapter 2 a king Artaxerxes then what's happened is that he looked at Nehemiah who was serving him and Nehemiah's face was kind of sad. And he looks at him and the king knowing his servant Nehemiah and he's saying to him you know it why is your countenance sad? Why are you sad?

And you know Nehemiah loved his people loved the nation loved the city and and and and loved the place where his forefathers have been all the history of the nation of Israel. Nehemiah was so burdened and concerned with his people and with the city and the condition that the city is existing that his face was sad. You know it is if we if we make it a spiritual application for us when we look at the condition of the people of God and the and the and the spiritual state of God's people we also have to have some kind of sadness in our hearts.

That's the kind of condition that that Nehemiah had been at. And so the king asking him Nehemiah why are you so sad? And then Nehemiah tell him the truth. He said to him you know he said to him he said let the king live for a why shouldn't why should not my countenance be sad in verse 3? Look at the condition. The city the place of my father's sepulcher lies in waste. And the gates thereof are consumed with fire. Why shouldn't I be sad? Well the king saw his concern and he asked him what do you request?

What is your request? You know I think one of the shortest prayers in the Bible perhaps for us to kind of quick a quick talk to God is really found right here in Nehemiah 2 and verse 4. So I prayed to the God of heaven and I said to the king. Nehemiah didn't have much time. He probably said Lord help me and immediately he went and he said what he wants from the king. And he was talking to the king and he's saying to the king you know if it please the king and and if thy servant found favor in thy sight that you would send me unto Judea unto the city of my father's sepulcher that I may build it.

And Artaxerxes gave him a command to go to build the city and the walls. Notice how many times by the way in this particular chapter chapter 2 the word city and the word gates and the word wall is mentioned. Let me just highlight this for you. In verse 3 is mentioned city in the middle and gates at the end. In verse 5 he mentioned that thou would send me to Judah unto the city of my father my my father's sepulcher that I may build it. In verse 8 it's mentioned give me timber to make beams for the gates and of the palace which appertain to the house and for the wall of the city.

If you go down to verse 13 which I did not read it said at the end that he viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and the gates thereof which were consumed with fire. Notice down if you go to verse 17 and you notice it says then said I unto them you see the distress that we are in how Jerusalem lies waste and the gates thereof are burnt with fire. Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem that we be no more a reproach. And so that is the purpose that Nehemiah have gone to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

So the starting point that we have in Daniel chapter 9 and verse 25 was from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem. That is the starting point. So if you in your mind can have this now I know some others believe that it is the time where Cyrus gave the command to in the book of Ezra in chapter 1 with Zerubbabel have gone up to Jerusalem about 539 BC. Some believe that this is the date but most Bible scholars also do believe that it was 445 444 BC from the commandment to restore and to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

So if we learn this from this verse the first part of verse 25 the starting point will be 444 445 BC the commandment of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah about the the month of March. 445 444 BC is the starting point. The next thing that we learn in verse 25 if you go back now to Daniel chapter 9 is that not only that this prophecy will have a special starting point but also this prophecy will give us the time of the Messiah's appearing to the nation of Israel. Notice how interesting verse 25 now verse 25 B it says know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto here's the the unto what unto the Messiah the prince.

The Messiah the prince. Now how much time is going to be? Notice it says here it shall be seven weeks. We know that seven weeks means seven times seven it's 49. And then it says and 60 and two weeks 62 times seven is 400 and if you put it together 434 49 plus 434 is 483 years. So what we really get here is that and let me let me show you it's right right here. I think it's easier to look at the at the at the at the chart here. Notice we said 445 BC is the starting point.

Then we have 49 years. Remember that's what it says here in verse 40 and verse 25 there will be a unto the Messiah the prince shall be seven weeks. Here's the seven weeks. And then 62 weeks which is 434. So if you add 49 plus 434 here we have the end this will be 69. Seven plus 62 make it 69 weeks. 69 weeks equal 483 years together. In other words from 445 BC unto the coming of the Messiah there will be 483 total. Now if you figure out 483 years from 445 we are coming to approximately some get to about 32 AD.

31 32 AD. Now don't ask me how people calculated. Remember one thing that in the olden biblical calculation of the days of the month and the year it's not like we have it today. It is a 30 day month which is 360 day year. And so if we figure all these together from the 445 to the appearing of the Messiah the prince when he would appear to the nation of Israel 483 years will pass away. Now just some points to to mention there was a man by the name of Sir Robert Robert Anderson. I I have just read a little bit about him and heard about him.

He was apparently from the Scotland Yard. He was apparently a detective in the late 1800 early 1900 and apparently he have calculated and that's what a lot of believers are taking it in in in in in acknowledging the fact that the calculation from 445 BC all the way to about 32 AD it is exactly a 69 times seven 69 weeks 483 years biblical years. Figuring out how you transfer from BC to AD how you calculated how you calculated it you shifted from from BC to AD and then also calculating the days it is approximately coming to about March sometime March in 32 AD.

Now let me just give you some verses that are very very important to look at. If you go to the prophet Zechariah for a minute Zechariah chapter 9. Notice that the angel telling Daniel in verse 25 know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build and to build Jerusalem from 445 BC unto the Messiah the prince. This expression Messiah the prince really is implied here that he was appearing before the nation before our people before the Jewish people before the nation of Israel as the prince of Israel the king of Israel.

Notice what the prophet Zechariah said in chapter 9. Chapter 9 and verse 9. How will Israel know that their Messiah their king is appearing? How do will they recognize their king? Well Zechariah chapter 9 and verse 9 says rejoice greatly oh daughter of Zion. Shout oh daughter of Jerusalem behold your king cometh unto thee. He's just and he's having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt at the fall of an ass. When when the prophet Zechariah was telling to the people of Israel how will they recognize their king their prince the Messiah?

When the Messiah will come in his first coming he will come riding upon a donkey. Riding into the city of Jerusalem and proclaiming exclaiming that he is the promised Messiah Messiah of Israel the promised Messiah the redeemer of the nation of Israel. And so Zechariah had mentioned that prophetically speaking about the coming the first coming of the Messiah when he was going to appear before the nation of Israel. Now please turn to the book of Luke chapter 19 also. Luke chapter 19 and verse 41 Luke 19 in verse 41. Did Israel acknowledge and recognize the Messiah at his first coming?

Notice what we read in this particular Luke chapter 19. And I'm going to read verse 41. And when he was come near he beheld the city and he wept over it. And he said if thou hast known even you at least in this thy day the thing which belong unto thy peace unto thy shalom but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side. And shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another.

Why? Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. You see this interesting if you notice in Luke chapter 19 verse 41 to 44 there are two two words here that are really has to do specifically with the nation of Israel. Notice in verse 42 saying if thou hast known even thou at least in this thy day the word thy day it was Israel's day. The things which belong unto thy shalom unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes. And at the end of verse 44 it says here that they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time.

Underline the word the time the time of thy visitation. From the angel from God a revelation concerning the coming of the Messiah the first coming but also the second coming which will be later on in the future day. But by the time we are we are studying Daniel chapter 9 in verse 25 in verse 25 we have learned those two things. Number one the prophecy will have a special starting point 444 445 BC. Number two what we learn in this particular verse verse 25 is that the Messiah will appear to Israel as the prince. And he's going to appear you see the triumphant entry when he will ride into the city appearing before the nation of Israel.

Will they acknowledge him as the prince? Will they acknowledge him as the king? And then he told them in this prophecy that we have just in this passage we just read in Luke 19 he said and you shall they shall lay thee even with with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave in the one stone upon another. Why? Because you did not know the time of thy visitation. God was visiting the nation of Israel in the person of the Messiah. Israel did not know the time of this visitation. And so when the Messiah came in and when the Messiah appeared as it says here behold thy king cometh unto thee.

He's just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass. When he appeared before the nation the nation as a the the the multitude. You remember they said hosanna to the son of David. But the spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel has not acknowledged did not acknowledge that this is the promised Messiah that have that our people have waited for so so many years. And so if you just go back once again to Daniel chapter 9 you will notice that it says here from verse 25 unto from 445 BC unto Messiah the prince the triumphal entry of the Messiah when the Messiah would come and appear before the nation of Israel as the prince as the king of the nation of Israel.

So the total length of time from the beginning of this prophecy from the starting point up till the time of the Messiah's appearing to the nation of Israel will elapse 49 years plus 434 years together 483 years will elapse. Of the nation of Israel. So the total length of time from the beginning of this prophecy from the starting point up till the time of the Messiah's appearing to the nation of Israel will elapse 49 years plus 434 years together 483 years will elapse. Which means 483 years equal seven plus 62 weeks 69 weeks of the total 70 weeks of Daniel chapter 9.

This is very important to understand. Now let me just mention in light of this chart all this is history. Those 69 weeks have run their course. It's over. 445 BC Nehemiah did go. They did rebuild the walls all the way to the time that we are in we are we are in in the time about 31 32 AD the Messiah did appear. He was not received and eventually he was a crucified. He was cut off and he died. That's his history. And again I wanted you to I want to point you to the straight line here because everything here what we are talking about up till verse 25 so far have dealt with the fact that the appearing of the Messiah to the nation of Israel 69 weeks have will be passing by.

Now now there's one more thing that I want to emphasize here in these in these verses is that when the Messiah did appear in his first coming we know from other passages of scripture that God foretold the fact that through Isaiah that when he will appear Israel as a nation will not recognize that he is truly the Messiah. And you remember the the the the the prophet Isaiah said all we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord had laid upon him the iniquities of us all. The prophets did know that when the Messiah will appear in his first coming the nation of Israel will not acknowledge him.

And you know it is important because had Israel acknowledge him as the Messiah all the work of redemption that God had in mind for Israel and for the nations of the world would not happen because he must be rejected. He must go to the tree to the altar to pay the penalty for sin. And he should it so when he came into this world. Now let's look to the next verses quickly. In the next verses now verse 26 we have three things that we learn in verse 26 now. And that's what we we have just begun.

First of all you notice that the word after notice the word after in verse 26 after three score and two weeks after look again at the chart please for a second. Here it is three score and um um um and a three score this is after the 62 weeks will be over. Another word after the 434 years will pass. Then it says here Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself. Another word after the second you know it's divided for us this way 49 years 434 years after this second part of this section Messiah will be cut off.

And you know it is important because here Daniel chapter 9 gives us the timing even if we do not know it to the day I'm sure God knows it to the day. Even if we have a problem to calculate the exact day but one thing for sure we do have is that God had promised in the scripture through Daniel chapter 9 and verse 26 that by the time that 483 years pass from 445 BC Messiah will be cut off. And sure enough we see here where the the the Messiah died on the cross on a Roman cross died for the sin of this world.

This exactly what John the baptizer we call him in Hebrew said behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of this world. Here he took upon himself he was cut off from the land of the living. It says here in verse 26 Messiah and here is the Hebrew word Messiah Messiah Messiah be cut off but not for himself or in Hebrew it says or had nothing. In other words when he died he did not die because of his sin. He died because of the sin of this world. And he had nothing nothing. This is the the next thing that we learned Messiah was cut off.

Now I have some verses I want to link with it. Please if you don't mind to turn to the book of Matthew chapter 16. Look at the things that are told were told we we read in scripture about his passion that he's going to suffer. He's going to die.

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levittan. 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.