MASTER OF TIMING
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Jesus Died on Time

You may already agree with me that God faithfully keeps vigil. He has pre-decreed 18 apocalyptic time periods and each one has either passed or will surely come to pass. Most of you may know that for many years there has been some dispute about the actual date of Jesus’ crucifixion. I have seen suggested dates ranging from A.D. 26 to A.D. 40. However, in recent years, research has been able to reduce this span of speculation. Religious scholars now place it between A.D. 30 and A.D. 33. The actual date turns out to be Friday, April 7, A.D. 30. Here is how the date can be proven:

1. The first day of the first month (Nissan 1) of the new year in God’s Jubilee Calendar begins with the sighting of the crescent of the first new moon after the Spring Equinox. In other words, there was a three-step process to determine when New Year’s Day occurred. To mark the beginning of a new year, the Jews (1) waited for the Spring equinox, then (2) waited for the sighting of the crescent of the new moon, then (3) declared the first day and the first month of the new year. (See the chart below.) A three-step process many seem laborious to us today, but there were a number of reasons why God had it calculated this way. First, no universal calendars existed in those days. Every nation had its own calendar and historical records were impossible to follow. However, by observing a solar/lunar calendar (notice this is a visually observed calendar), the record of time was perfectly measured. Even more, the solar/lunar calendar ensured that Spring and Fall crops were always planted on time. This feature may seem insignificant, but it is the very thing that ensured the first fruits from the barley and wheat crops would be ready when offered at the time of the appointed feasts. It is a well-known fact that God required Israel to observe the Passover on the 14^th and 15^th day of the first month (Nissan), which was always midway through the monthly lunar cycle.
   
   

 

This meant that Passover always enjoyed a full moon. Further, God required Israel to have a celebration 12 or 13 times a year, at every new moon (That’s right, sometimes there were 13 New Moon feasts in a year.) In His wisdom, God combined monthly social celebrations with careful time reckoning to preserve the unity of Israel as well as the record of time. (Hosea 5:7; Colossians 2:16) (Following letters tie in with chart on previous page.)

A.  Spring equinox (on or about March 22) 

 

B.  *When the crescent of the new moon is seen (sometime between March 23 and April    

      22). This established the first day of the first month of a new year. (The crescent is   

      usually is seen during the second night after a totally dark new moon.) 

 

C.  Passover Nissan 14,15 – Full moon / mid-month

1. Daniel 9:25 indicate that Messiah would appear 69 weeks from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. The record from Luke 3:1,21 reveals that John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River in A.D. 27. Jesus was about 30 years of age. The time period between 457 B.C. and A.D. 26 is 483 weeks inclusive (69weeks). The 70^th week of seven years began in A.D. 27 and Jesus began His ministry that year after John baptized Him. 457 B.C. is a Jubilee year and Jubilee years are always Sunday years. Therefore, we can conclude that A.D. 27 was a Sunday year also. (See chart above.)

2. The prophecy in Daniel 9:27 indicates that Messiah would die in the middle of the 70^th week. The middle day of the week is Wednesday. Therefore, the year of Christ’s death has to be A.D. 30 (a Wednesday year) because 457 B.C. and A.D. 27 are Sunday years. Passover always occurred on a full moon, because the 14^th day of the month is half way through a lunar cycle. (See Chart below.)
   
   
   

1. If Jesus died at Passover in A.D. 30, then a full moon should confirm this fact and eliminate A.D. 31,32, and 33 as possible years for His death. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Spring equinox in A.D. 30 occurred on Wednesday, March 22 at 10 p.m. (plus or minus one or two hours). At 6 p.m. that same evening, a new moon (a totally dark moon) also occurred. The first crescent of the new moon would have been sighted in Jerusalem on Sabbath (during Friday evening) making March 25 New Years Day of the Jubilee Calendar. We know the Passover lamb was always slain on the 14^th day of Nissan, which happened to be Friday, April 7, A.D. 30. Notice God’s precision. As the High Priest was about to slay the paschal lamb in Jerusalem at the 9^th hour, an angel rent the great curtain in the temple from top to bottom. The angel exposed the empty inner room of the temple called the Most Holy Place. The Ark of the Covenant was not there and neither was the Shekinah glory. The room was as dark as the core of Judaism. Meanwhile, outside the city gates, The Lamb of God, the Covenant Maker Himself, died at the appointed hour for the slaying of the paschal lamb. Legend says the great curtain (about 4 inches thick) was torn and when this happened, it was so disruptive to the Passover service that the process of slaying the sacrificial lamb was never accomplished. If this is true, it seems very fitting because the Lamb Himself had suddenly ended a ceremonial system that began nearly 4,000 years earlier with Adam and Eve.

1. 1. Spring equinox (Wednesday, March 22, A.D. 30 – Julian) = Adar 28 Jewish

1. 2. *Crescent of the new moon is seen on Sabbath, March 25, A.D. 30=

Nissan 1 – Jewish 

 

                  C.   Nissan 14 = Friday, April 7^th, full moon

 

                  D.   Lamb slain at 9^th hour, Friday afternoon     

 

 

Is it little wonder that Paul wrote, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6) All of this information tells me that God is very careful about the measurement of time. He is punctual and He is faithful. I believe the Bible indicates the Father set the date for Christ’s return to Earth long ago! Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36) Obviously, the Father already knows the day and hour of Christ’s return. It is only reasonable to conclude then that the 18 prophetic time periods are harmonious with the date the Father has set. These and other wonderful illustrations confirm that god’s timing is perfect – He knows no haste or delay. He is able to bring about or accomplish anything, at any time. Such is the power of omnipotence.

Prophetic Purposes

God is both purposeful and intentional in all that He does. Because of this, I believe there are several reasons why God predestined 18 apocalyptic time periods in the Bible. Here is a list based on my observations:

1. If we correctly place the 18 time periods on a time-line, then we can locate our chronological position within God’s master plan of restoring man to Eden. We can also verify what has happened in the past and prepare for what is coming in the future. Another interesting point is this: When all 18-time periods are aligned, the Great Week Theory (7,000 years for the existence of sin) appears to be true.                  

2. During the dark and lonely hours we will experience during the Great Tribulation, the knowledge of God’s precise timing will be very encouraging as we stand firm in faith. Knowing there will be an end and approximately, when it will happen will be a great morale booster to the saints. The saints will often repeat the assuring words, “Hang on! It won’t be long now!”

3. As I said earlier, my study has concluded that five time periods have been fulfilled before 1994. Notice that each time period listed in the following list, is much longer than the span of life of any person:

      * 1.  Time, times and half a time (saints persecuted 1,260 year – Daniel 7:25)

 

      * 2.  2,300 evenings and mornings (2,300 years until the temple is restored – Daniel

              8:14)    

      * 3.  70 weeks (490 years determined upon the Jews – Daniel 9:24,25) 

     

      * 13. 1,260 days (woman fled into the desert for 1,260 years - Revelation 12:6)    

     

      * 14. Time, times and half a time (woman fled into the desert for 1,260 years - 

                Revelation 12:14)                  

 

These time periods were not recorded for the benefit of those individuals who would live during that span of time. Rather, they were given for those people who would live after they occurred, so the last generation could determine that they were near the end of God’s allotted time for sin. In other words, the final generation is the only generation that needs to know that is it the last generation.

4. God uses repetition to help us correctly identify the placement of certain time periods. For example, I find the following time periods are references to the same time period, namely the Dark Ages – A.D. 538-1798:   

(See charts on pages 7-8.)

*  1.  Time, times and half a time (saints persecuted 1,260 years – Daniel 7:25) 

 

* 13.  1,260 days (woman fled into the desert for 1,260 years – Revelation 12:6) 

 

* 14.  Time, times and half a time (woman fled in to the desert 1,260 years –   

           Revelation 12:14)   

In a similar way, I believe the following time periods are references to the same time periods that will occur in the future, namely the Great Tribulation:

5. God used two prophetic time periods to span over the date of the cross. In other words, to demonstrate to the world that His Jubilee Calendar did not cease at Calvary, God created two time periods that commence prior to the cross and expire after the cross. They are:

* 2.  2,300 evenings and mornings (until the temple is restored – Daniel 8:14) 

* 3.  70 weeks (determined upon the Jews, Messiah crucified – Daniel 9: 24,25) 

Both pf these began in 457 B.C. The 2,300 years extend to Spring, 1844 and the 70 weeks extend down to Spring, A.D. 34. Contrary to what many pastors teach, god did not abandon the Jubilee Calendar at the cross. If He did, then there would not be a 70 weeks time period. The result would have been only 69 ½ weeks.

6.   The time period of the Great Tribulation is a maximum of 1,335 literal days. I say maximum because Jesus revealed that this time period would be cut short or no flesh would endure to the end. (Matthew 24:21, 22) There is a special blessing promised for those individuals who endure to the end. Daniel 12:12 says, “Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.” What special blessing awaits the survivors? They will be privileged to see a once-in-a-universe display of Christ’s authority:    

a.   He will capture the beast and the false prophet.

b.   He will destroy the wicked people living at the end and resurrect the righteous dead.

c.   He will call the living righteous people up to the sky to personally join Him there!

It is very interesting how all of the prophetic time periods pertaining to the Great Tribulation harmoniously fit within a 1,335-day time frame. (Keep in mind that my chart uses the full 1,335-day model because no one knows just how much time has been reduced from the Great Tribulation time period.)

7.  The following future time period should impress everyone with God’s punctuality. Notice what the Bible says about time period number nine. “And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.” (Revelation 9:15) God keeps track of time, even down to the “very hour!”

8.  Another interesting feature exits about the 42 months mentioned in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5. God’s method for reckoning time is different from ours. A month to our Creator is one lunar cycle – one new moon crescent to the next new crescent. (This may come as a surprise to some people, but God does not use the calendar we use today that was created by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.) Notice how the simple fact works out in Scripture: “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:5-8) This text points forward to a time when the saints will be persecuted for 42 months. In other words, I expect this time period to be a maximum of 42 lunar months. Further, it makes sense that the forthcoming persecution will commence on or about the time of a new moon because the timing is given as months, not days.

9.  Another interesting feature is found in the time period of the Two Witnesses, which is 1,260 days in length. This time period works out to be exactly 180 weeks. (1,260 / 7 = 180) Because this time period is recorded as days in Revelation 11:2, I do not expect this time period to commence on a Sunday, otherwise, it would have been described as 180 weeks.

Remember the 70 weeks of Daniel 9? That time period was identified as 70 weeks rather than 490 days because that time period began with a Sunday year in the Jubilee Calendar (457 B.C.) and ended with a Sabbath year in A.D. 33. So, it could be accurately calculated as 70 full weeks. However, the 2,300 evenings and mornings of Daniel 8:14 commence at the same time as the 70 weeks, but they are identified as days because 2,300 days = 328 weeks plus 5 days. In other words, the 2,300 days time period is identified this way because the time period cannot be stated in full weeks!

By now, I am sure you can detect that I am interested in names of the time periods. The name of each time period says something very important about God’s placement of that time period. For example, we know the bodies of the Two Witnesses lie in the street of the Great City for 3.5 days. What does this suggest? First, 3.5 days is exactly half of seven days. Since the Two Witnesses prophecy for 1,260 days, this half-week period must follow the 1,260 days. Why does God pre-decree 3.5 days? Does this time period indicate the first half of a week or the last half of a week? Does God mean 3 days and 4 nights or 3 full days plus half a night? I do not have a good answer for these questions. More study is necessary. However, the Scripture indicates that the time period is connected to God’s vindication of the 144,000 servants. I cannot think of a more dramatic scene than the 144,000 being called up into the heavens in a blazing show of glory and power, as the wicked murderers helplessly watch. What would it be like to kill someone in a violet rage, only to see God resurrect them a short time later and take them heaven.

Summary

Much more could be said about the 18 apocalyptic time periods, but if you have understood this presentation so far, you have done well. In closing, I would like to recap four essential points:

1.      God is omnipotent and omniscient. By virtue of this fact. He has set times and dates. He also predetermined the appointed length and placement of each prophetic time period.

2.      God is punctual. His plans know no haste or delay. When the appointed time arrives, God is there to do whatever He must do to accomplish His purposes.

3.      A proper understanding of the prophetic story and location of each of the 18 apocalyptic time periods provides a panoramic view of God’s timing and plans that were conceived before the world was created. There is great joy and astonishment when beholding God’s handiwork.

4.      During the Great Tribulation, knowledge of God’s timing will prove to be a great source of comfort for those individuals who patiently endure 42 months of suffering for Christ’s sake. Knowing the duration of coming events will prove to be a constant source of encouragement, especially during a time when despair is everywhere and the question of survival looms ominously before the entire world.

It was said earlier that God intentionally placed the 18 prophetic time periods in the Bible for several purposes. I believe each purpose for the remaining time periods is about to be fulfilled!

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