Ten Important Things We Need to Know About the Jubilee and Daniel’s Seventy Sevens
In 2010, many Filipino Christian leaders proclaimed that it was a year of a “new beginning” for our country, owing it to Ferdinand Magellan’s landing-rediscovery of the Philippine islands in 1521 and Daniel’s prophecy many calls Seventy Sevens (aka weeks or “shabua” in Hebrew, see Daniel 9:24-27). According to the proponents of this belief, “every nation that reaches 490 years has an opportunity to put an end to all wickedness, unrighteousness, and injustice resulting in shocking poverty? (Manila Bulletin, last accessed October 4, 2011).
Here now are the ten important things we need to know about the Jubilee and Daniel’s Seventy Sevens.
1) Daniel’s Seventy Sevens is God’s revelation to Daniel about his people, the children of Israel and the desolation their Holy City, Jerusalem. It is closely related to Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10 Prophecy and it was not intended as a prophecy for every nation or for any nation who wish to claim it their own. See Daniel 9:2.
2) The “Terminus a Quo” i.e., starting point in time of this prophecy is “from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” is well defined in history. It was sometime in 446-444 BC, when Artaxerxes I gave Nehemiah the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 2:5-9, 17, 18). Others disagree on this starting point, some say it was Darius Temple Decree in Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-12 (539-518 BC), and other’s say it was Artaxerxes I’s Temple Services Decree in Ezra 7:11-26 (459-457 BC). But clearly as it says “to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” only Nehemiah 2:5-9, 17 and 18 does it fit perfectly not on the landing of Magellan in Homonhon Island on March 16, 1521.
3) The “Terminus Ad Quem”, i.e., ending point in time for Daniel’s Seventy Sevens is indicated by the following: The Prince who will come will make a covenant for One Seven, then in the Middle of the Seven (3.5 years) he will cause the sacrifice and offering to cease, he will then cause its desolation until he himself is destroyed (Daniel 9:7 cf 2 Thessalonians 2:3). This was part of the prophecy totally ignored by the March 22-23 Prophetic Conference of 2010. Anyway, if Terminus Ad Quo is debated by Christian Bible scholars all the more so is Terminus Ad Quem.
4) If you ask a Reformed Christian, he would readily tell you that Terminus Ad Quem happened on the cross at Calvary because they believe that the “Anointed One, the Prince” who was cut off and “the Prince” who will come is one and the same – the Lord Jesus Christ. They say that the sacrifice and offering at the Temple was stopped when Christ offered himself to atone for God’s people. In otherwords, to them, Daniel Seventy Sevens was already fulfilled 2,000 years ago and that everlasting righteousness is attained by faith in Christ. However, this is only half true for they too ignored the fact that the Coming Prince will lay the Temple desolate “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27b). Surely this can’t be referring to the Lord Jesus Christ who now lives forever (Hebrews 7:24).
5) If you ask a Dispensationalist, he will say that the Terminus Ad Quem is given at the End of the Seven. In Daniel 12:11 it is given up to 1260 days or 3.5 years (see also 2 Thessalonians 2:4-8). They refer to the fulfillment of this last set of Seven in the future and much?in detail on it is given in the the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John, Chapters 4 through 19. Cross reference that with what Jesus said in Mt. Olives beginning at Matthew 24:21 through verse 30.
6) There are six promises that will indicate it’s fulfillment: finish transgression, put and end to sins, atone for wickedness, bring up everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and the prophecy, and then anoint the most holy (Daniel 9:24). It’s not really as short sighted as to put an end only “to all wickedness, unrighteousness, and injustices that result to the shocking poverty of the Philippines.”
7) According to Leviticus 25:8-22, after Seven Sevens of years (i.e., 7 x 7 = 49 years), Israel must consecrate the fiftieth year as a Jubilee for their land and its people in which all agricultural activities such as sowing and reaping must rest and in return, the Lord will provide so much harvest enough even for three years.?As for the people, they too must worship and rest and return to their ancestral land. If they have become slaves, they must be set free at Jubilee.
8 ) And so the Jubilee (7 x 7) and Daniel’s Seventy Seven’s (70 x 7) are two separate events. Not because one is 49 and the other is 490, one will?hastily conclude that?490th?year of?one’s country?from anything is their “Jubilee of Jubilee’s”.? The first was given as a commandment to be perpetuated as long as they are in the land of promise while the other is a prophecy that depends on no man but on God. It’s gonna happen according to God’s own time table until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24 cf Romans 11:25).
9) Spiritual Jubilee therefore is not just about the restoration the of honor and dignity of the Filipino as a?people at all (Prophetic Conference March 22, 2010. Last accessed October 4, 2011). In fact, Galatians 5:1 speaks?of Gentiles as already set?free in Christ: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a?yoke of slavery.”?But that freedom is not meant to indulge in sin (Galatians 5:13).
10) Also it was March?2010 when “Prophet” Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj spoke of “New Beginning” that is based on Isaiah 43:19 in relation to all these. He said that Year 2010 is going to be a Year of “TURNING POINT OR TURNING AROUND” but surprisingly this Year 2011 he spoke again of another New Beginning, see Ten Questions to “Prophet” Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj. But the point he made then was this: “the Philippines will go from one end to go to another direction” and make the Philippines as “a lighthouse for the world especially in Asia” such that when Asia will be greatly affected by Tsunami, flood, and rain, the Philippines “will be spared and the surrounding nation will wonder ‘what is so special about Philippines’?” I hate to be the bearer of bad news but let me submit this recent tragedy in our country: Typhoon Quiel (aka Nalgae) has put as much as 12 areas in the Philippines under a state of calamity: Isabela?(Santiago City); Bulacan (Obando, Calumpit, and Meycauayan City), Olongapo City, Bataan (Dinalupihan), Tarlac City, Nueva Ecija, Cavite (Noveleta), National Capital Region (Malabon, Navotas, Marikina). (GMA News, last accessed October 4, 2011).
My oh my! Who is making these these “Prophets” accountable to what they are saying? Do I even have to mention Typhoon Pedring (aka Nesat)? This isn’t new at all.
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