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Jesus told Peter to forgive seventy times seven (70x7). Is there a time limit to forgiveness or is forgiveness a never-ending act? And what does it have to do with end-time prophecy? The answer will surprise you.
This is a three part series that considers the dialogue between Jesus and Peter as recorded in Matthew 18:21-22. In the first article, we learned that Jesus confirmed a new standard of forgiveness to Peter that traces back to the 7th generation of Adam’s firstborn line, by a man named Lamech.
In Genesis 4:23-24, Lamech famously pled the right of 70 times more than the initial time that God gave to Cain. By his own omission, Lamech declared his innocence because the fatalities that occurred in his case were accidental and not premeditated. This was not true in the case of his Great, Great, Great-Grandfather Cain.
Clearly, Lamech sought a new standard for the family in his day, and strangely, Jesus upheld that extended version in His day. What does one have to do with the other? We are about to find out. But first, we need to review the main points that were covered in the first part of this series as follows:
Peter’s suggestion to use the old 7x standard is based on the same measure that was given to Cain (Gen. 4:15). The 7x standard originated from God's 7-day creation work-week model. Thereafter, the number 7 became the standard measure of time for the Hebrew and Jubliee calendars.
Jesus corrected Peter’s use of the old 7x measure by confirming the new extended standard of 70 x 7. The new standard of time is based on Lamech’s plea made in the 7th generation of Cain. (Gen. 4:23-24).
Cain and his line occupy a legal position (office) within the Adamic race as patterned by the primogeniture position of Christ.
The firstborn role in both the family of man and the family of God is expected to perform the following function for a family unit: (1) executor of the family’s estate; (2) right of governance (kingly), and: (3) right of mediatorial privileges (priestly) duties as part of his double-portion blessing.
The common element of Cain and Christ is they both occupy a firstborn position (office) in the family of “Man.” Due to sin, Cain failed in his office, thereby could only bring an inheritance of death to his brethren. Christ, on the other hand, succeeded in his firstborn office, thereby can offer an inheritance of life to his brethren.
If you missed Part 1 of this article, I encourage you to read that first before you proceed further.
Seven Marks the Firstborn
As we are about to learn, things get more interesting with this 70x7 business.
Why? Because centuries before Jesus came on the New Testament scene alerting Peter that there is a new standard in town, the prophets applied it long before. Namely, they applied it to national Israel’s own end-time prophetic timeline. That prophecy was given to Daniel, who happens to be the same prophet Jesus underscored as He taught about the end-times. (Mt. 24:15).
If you have been tracking the “mark” of Cain in terms of his birth order (remember the firstborn holds a legal position), you immediately realize that Daniel's 70-week prophecy curiously resembles Lamech’s extended version and not cain's standard measure. That means Israel is a benefactor of this firstborn extension plan in some way. More about that later. But first, we need to review Daniel's prophecy:
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people (Jewish Nation of Israel) and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." (Dan. 9:24-27, KJV).
Daniel's prophecy breaks down in the following manner:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
7 wks + 62 wks [= 69 wks] + Messiah Cut-off + 1 wk = 70 wks total
UNKNOWN TIMELINE
("GAP PERIOD")
Notice how the middle section of the breakdown is NOT REVEALED in the prophecy. It is what scholars later termed as the "GAP Period.” What is interesting about this Gap Period is that the full extent of its view can only be seen in hindsight, or after the fact, on the stage of human history. The GAP begins when the Messiah is cut-off at the 69th week and ends right before 70th week when the covenant is confirmed. It represents an unmarked timeframe that was not disclosed or called-out in Daniel's prophecy. Consequently, the GAP was not understood by the Old Testament prophets or Jewish scholars even to this day!
Oddly, Israel's prophetic timeline seems to be curiously "marked" by a trail of sevens just like the firstborn line of Adam. With God's 7-day creation work-week as the standard measure, so it became the benchmark given to Cain. A mark that was extended 70 times more in the 7th generation of Cain, which led us straight to "Daniel's People," known as national Israel. So, while Israel's timeline is publicly known by a trail of sevens that links them to a firstborn role, the GAP or “unmarked time” in history speaks of a “mystery” timeline.
What is striking is how Daniel’s 70-week prophecy follows Lamech’s formula, which produces a product of 490 years (70 x 7= 490). The 490 years represents Israel’s "fixed" prophetic time in its uninterrupted form that excludes the GAP or unmarked timeline. Again, that is because the GAP Period can only be revealed after that period is completed in human history and that has not happened yet.
We know this to be true because we all can attest to the fact that Daniel’s prophecy saw the fulfillment of the 69th week, the moment Jesus Christ was “cut-off” or crucified in history. It has now been almost 2,000 years since Christ died. Two thousand years far exceeds the likes of 7 years, or 70 years, or even 490 years for that matter! Therefore, through hindsight (especially today as we look all the way back to the cross of Christ), we can conclude that Israel’s 70th week has not occurred yet. Their prophetic timeline has been interrupted to allow for the GAP Period to run its course as Jesus predicted.
You see, while scholars call it a GAP, Jesus called it the “time of the Gentiles.” (Luke 21:24). This makes our present-day an extension of time in human history that falls in-between the 69th and the 70th week of Israel’s prophetic timeline. The extended equation would be expressed as follows, where the “X” represents the mystery timeline of the Gentiles:
69 wks + X + 1 wk = 70 wks + X
Undoubtedly, Lamech’s extension model has some amazing implications! Through osmosis, we just discovered that the breakdown of the 70 weeks in Daniel’s prophecy involves two timelines, not just one. The first concerns Israel's public timeline as a firstborn nation and the second timeline concerns the Gentiles nations, which is on a “mystery” timeline.
What is not so clear at this point is how exactly did Israel get to such a firstborn status in the first place? How can they be benefactors of a supposedly New Testament concept in the Old Testament setting? To answer that question, I will give you two hints. The first hint, again, has to do with the firstborn position. The second hint has to do with rightly dividing. Stay tuned for the final segment in this series to find out the answer. God bless!
Today’s article was inspired by a book I wrote, entitled: “His-Story Through His-Bloodline: The Genesis Pre-Flood Prophecy of the Ages.” If you liked what you read here, you will love the book because it is filled with all kinds of family connections that involve Christ’s mission to seek and to save that which was lost. The book is available in paperback or e-book formats. I recommend paperback because of all the charts. Follow the link here: https://rosedogbookstore.com/his-story-through-his-bloodline-the-genesis-pre-flood-prophecy-of-the-ages/
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