Passing judgment on “this” generation of rulers or even counting Daniel’s 70 weeks doesn’t force God into a timeline. God is eternal, he operates outside of time.
What matters to God is staying true to his word.
“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (II Timothy 2:12-13)
When YHVH’s Savior told the rulers of Israel “Ye shall not see me [your King] henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:29-36) he remained 100% consistent with the extension of timelines from previous scripture beginning with the establishment of the nation of Israel.
- “if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments…that ye break my covenant…
- I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague…ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you
- And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me,
- then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
- And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me;
- I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
- And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things…
- I will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
- And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me…
- I will chastise you seven times for your sins.” (Leviticus 26)
Take Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 years.
“the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon…Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah…saying…the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets..because ye have not heard my words…[to serve me, ye] shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:2-11)
But serving a sentence doesn’t serve justice for God.
- After 70 years had passed, but the objective of turning to the LORD was not fulfilled by the rulers, i.e. the other signatories to the covenant,
- it was then extended under Daniel to 70 x 7 years as per the covenant with Israel as above.
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him,
- I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
- but, Until seventy times seven.
Where did Jesus get this calculation? From Israel’s covenant obviously! And continuing on with this same parallel of humans in the likeness of YHVH Jesus states:
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.” (Matthew 18)
- “Judah [to whom how many sins had been forgiven?] thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as [ a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering / obedience / submission / bowing of the people be.” (Genesis 49:8-12)
We know this is Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, heir to the throne of Israel as per Matthew 1:1-7.
But there are more rulers than just Jesus the Christ in the kingdom of God.
“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel…Wherefore…I give unto him…and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.” (Numbers 25:10-13)
Do we get what this means? For the last 3,000 years and counting there has always been a descendant of Phinehas fulfilling this prophecy.
Let that sink in.
Maybe Isaiah was one of the seed of Phinehas. He is certainly in the order of Melchizedek with a name and curriculum vitae virtually identical to Jesus the Christ’s.
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles…
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles…
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 42:1-10; 49:5-6)
- Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him,
- instead of the pagan ruler
- and to love the name / attribute, i.e. righteousness of the LORD, to be his servants,
- instead of trusting in the pagan ruler for security and prosperity like the eunuchs in ancient courts
- every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
- giving dominion to mankind in his image and likeness and confirmed with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai under Moses
- Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar;
- for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The LORD God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others.” (Isaiah 56:4-8)
Biblically, this is the extension of YHVH’s promise that the Adam’s Seed would sacrifice himself to restore all humanity to life.
“For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man / ha-Adam, that thou…crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.
But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see YHVH’s Savior / the last Adam…bringing many sons unto glory / victory in battle…
- For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
- for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto / share your power with my brethren…
- And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me…
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, YHVH’s Chosen Savior; Who was faithful to him that appointed him…whose house / family are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Letter to the Hebrews 2:5-3:6)
The End of this world doesn’t come until God’s ministers are prepared for the transition of power.
Surely we understand this on the lesser level of human government. When Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, his existing staff made it possible for him to immediately take over the government.
Surely we understand that on the far more higher plane of existence we mere mortals need to develop our spiritual abilities. Read a few of the fantasy Dresden Files books if you are drawing a blank here.
In God’s kingdom, we are meant to transform into the likeness of our Savior by following the same process he underwent – submitting our will to the will of the Father. And it’s not any more comfortable than a drug addict trying to kick an opioid or methamphetamine habit!
It is no different from any child developing social skills and self-control through mastering self-will through ever higher levels of practice, practice, practice. As one of my son’s high school teachers explained, “You decide if you want to work at a fast food restaurant or in a profession by how you apply yourself now.”
You have to give up the comforts of sleeping in, staying up late to watch captivating television programs or play video games, and partying with friends. You have to withdraw into your own wilderness to study and accept rejection of family and friends who resent your changes. And frankly, only a small percentage of humanity does develop increased levels of ability and knowledge we call professionalism.
I had to quit going to prayer meetings, and every time someone asks me to pray for someone’s affliction, I have to bite back my response. “Please pray for God to….” How about you take responsibility to express God’s care by witnessing while taking a meal, spending time comforting and exhorting the afflicted with scripture, maybe even provide some financial support?
God is not a vending machine! Christianity has devolved into a Name it and Claim it magical process even by the most devout, which, when you think about it, is more insulting to God than the pagan transactional religion: I’ll do this for you if you’ll do this for me.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that YE present YOUR bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be YE transformed by the renewing of your mind, that YE may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God…
For as WE have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office…according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let
- US prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let
- US wait on our ministering: or
- HE that teacheth, on teaching; Or
- HE that exhorteth, on exhortation:
- HE that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
- HE that ruleth, with diligence;
- HE that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness…
serving the Lord” (Romans 12:1-14)
Kingdom Come 