Calculations and Considerations Regarding the Prophecy Given to Daniel by Gabriel

The book of Daniel presents the world with a very unique prophecy--one that predicts the arrival of the Messiah, suggests the “cutting off” of that Messiah, and foretells the actions of a future evil prince--the antichrist.  The prophecy is given to Daniel directly from the angel, Gabriel (Daniel 9:20-23), and is constituted as follows in Daniel 9:24-27:

“24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” [Unless otherwise indicated, references are to the NASB.]

Messianic Prophecy

This prophecy is significant in that it clearly involves the Millennial reign of the Messiah who will “make an end of sin” and “bring in everlasting righteousness.”  Amazingly, the date of the coming of the Messiah, as described in this prophecy given to Daniel, is substantially calculable, and the Messiah’s being “cut off” is similarly determinable:

1.             Consider, first, the very unique time frame set forth in Daniel 9:25a - "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks ...."  In this statement, we are provided a starting point, an ending point and a calculated period in between.

a.             The starting point.  Daniel 9:25a tells us the starting point is “the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.”  The book of Nehemiah and other historical records enable us to pinpoint this date:

i.             Nehemiah 2:1-10 - And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go." And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me. Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

ii.            King Artaxerxes I of Persia reigned from 465 to 424 BC.  Artaxerxes I of Persia. (n.d.) In Wikipedia.  Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artaxerxes_I_of_Persia. Thus, the 20th year of his reign would have been between 446 and 445 BC, depending, too, on the month on which his reign started.

b.            The calculated period.  Daniel 9:25a tells us the calculated period is “seven weeks and sixty-two weeks." 

i.              The use of the word “weeks” here really means (and is actually translated in some versions as) “sevens.”  So, we are talking about 69 periods of 7.  Contextually (see e.g., Daniel’s contemplation of Jeremiah’s prophecy regarding Jerusalem as encompassing a period of years in Daniel 9:2), we are permitted to understand the 69 periods of 7 to mean periods that are approximately each a “year.”

ii.             69 periods of 7 years is 483 years.

iii.            However, the text doesn’t really say “years,” which is important; it just says “sevens”; further, additional passages in Daniel and in Revelation refer to prophetic periods as “times,” and the context suggests that a “time” equates to a period of 360 days.  It’s not exactly clear why these periods are not full years; they are God’s specially calculated “prophetic years.”

A.            Daniel 7:25 - [referring to the antichrist] “He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

B.            Daniel 12:7 - [referring to the Day of the Lord] “I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.”

C.            Revelation 11:2b-3 - [referring to the Great Tribulation period] “and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

D.            Revelation 12:6 - [referring likely to the nation of Israel during the Tribulation] “Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

E.            Revelation 12:14 - [referring to the nation of Israel during the Tribulation] “But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”

F.             Revelation 13:5 - [referring to the beast] “There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.”

When trying to analyze these periods, it is important to note that (A) 1,260 days / 3.5 “times” = 360 days/”time”; (B) 42 months of 30 days = 1,260 days; and (C) 3.5 times = 3.5 “prophetic years.”

iv.            Some scholars also point to the Genesis account as acknowledging a 30-day month: compare Genesis 7:11 - "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened"; to Genesis 8:3-4 “And the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased.  In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.”  This is interesting as a side note to this analysis, but not necessarily critical.

               

v.             Converting Daniel's 483 periods from God's 360-day prophetic year to our Gregorian calendar 365.25 day year requires some math:

A.            483 x 360 days = 173,880 days on God's “prophetic years” calendar

B.            173,880 / 365.25 = 476.06 years on the Gregorian calendar

C.            445 (i.e., BC) + 476 years (i.e., 365.25-day years) = 31 (i.e., AD)

D.            Curiously, the Gregorian calendar does not have a year "0." 0 Year.  (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_(year). Zero wasn't understood at the time the calendars precedent to the Gregorian calendar were developed. Thus, because our calculation crosses over the transition period from BC to AD, we must add 1 year to 31 AD, making the correct year for purposes of our calculation: 32 AD. [Note, too, that if we use 446 BC as the starting point, we end up at 31 AD.]

c.             The ending point. Daniel 9:25a indicates that the ending point is identified as the time of  "Messiah the Prince.”  Thus, the question is whether the above calculated year of 32 AD [or 31 AD] comports with the actual date of the arrival of Messiah the Prince.

i.              The Jewish month of Nisan starts on the day after the the new moon of spring (i.e., the new moon closest to the vernal equinox). Nisan-Years. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 29, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisan-years.

ii..            Passover begins on the evening of the 14th day of the month of Nisan and continues for 7 days.   Exodus 12:1-28.   The first day of Passover is the first day following the first sunset of Passover.  Passover.  (n.d.) In Wikipedia.  Retreived on October 30, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover.  Thus, the first day of Passover is Nisan 15.  Ibid.

iii.            Thus, taking the above information together, it appears the prophecy in Daniel 9, in effect, indicates that the Messiah would be evident to Israel approximately in the month of Nisan in 32 AD. 

A.            In fact, it appears that the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem occurred in the month of Nisan.  See Mark 10:32-33, Mark 11:1-11 and Mark 14:1, 12, as well as Luke 18:31-34, Luke 19:28-40, and Luke 22:1-2, noting that all of these events occurred at about the same time. 

B.            Interestingly, Jesus picks up on Daniel’s prophecy as part of his discussion with his disciples during this final week: See Matthew 24:3-31; Mark 13:3-27; Luke 21:7-33.)

C.            Looking at John 12:1-12, it appears that the Triumphal Entry would have occurred 5 days before the Passover, which would have been on about Nisan 10 (depending on whether they were counting from the sunset of Passover or the First Day of Passover).

D.            There is little question that Jesus was hailed as a “Prince” during the Triumphal Entry.  See John 12:12-15 (crowd shouting, “Blessed is the king of Israel!”).

2.            Consider, too, the additional information in the prophecy regarding the Messiah: “After those 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing.”  Daniel 9:26a.  Many scholars agree that this passage suggests death.  Daniel may have been wondering how the Messiah could both appear and then be suddenly “cut off” and “have nothing.”  The answer lies in the rest of the week after the Triumphal Entry.

a.            The Passover meal (the “Last Supper” seder) would have been conducted approximately on the evening of the 14th day of Nisan.

b.            Since Jesus was arrested during the night of the Last Supper, Jesus had to have been arrested on the evening of the 14th or the early morning of the 15th of Nisan.  Matthew 26:18-31 and John 18:1-13.  Peter would have denied Jesus for the 3rd time in the break of day on the 15th of Nisan.  Matthew 26:57-74; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-27.

c.             On the morning of the 15th of Nisan, Jesus was taken to the sanhedrin (Luke 22:66) and Pilate (Matthew 27:1-2; John 18:28).

d.            Jesus was crucified that very day, on Nisan 15.  Matthew 27:62-65 and Luke 23:54 and John 19:14,31 indicate that Jesus was also buried on that day, Preparation Day, and “the day after Preparation Day” the chief priests obtained orders from Pilate to guard the tomb.

e.             Thus, it appears that Jesus was “cut off” during the month of Nisan.

3.            Thus, Jesus was hailed as the King of Israel and crucified in the month of Nisan.  The question is whether these events all occurred in 32 AD [or 31 AD, depending on the calculation start date].  The time frame of 32 AD is substantiated (although not necessarily pinpointed) by a variety of collateral facts:

a.             Pilate was the prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26–36.  Pontius Pilate. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate.

b.             John the Baptist started his ministry in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.  Luke 3:1-20.  Tiberius reigned from 14 AD to 37 AD.  Tiberius.  (n.d.) In Wikipedia.  Retreived on October 30, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius.  The 15th year of the reign of Tiberius would be about 28-29 AD.  Jesus appears to have started his ministry at about the same time, at age 30.  See Luke 3:21-23.

c.             There are only a few Passovers mentioned in the Gospels as occurring during Jesus’ ministry--the final one occurring at his crucifixion.  Thus, he would have been about 33 years old at the time of his crucifixion.  Thus, at age 33, the year would have been about 31-32 AD.

d.            It is nearly impossible to try to sync our calendar with the calendar used back at this time.  For some notes regarding the complicating factors of the analysis, see Espenak, Fred. (January 24, 2007). Calendar Dates.  NASA Eclipse Website.  Retrieved from http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/calendar.html.  Being even 1 year off in the analysis completely alters the dates, considering that the analysis begins with the identification of the new moon of spring, and that date moves around the Gregorian calendar.  This is likely why Jesus said of His Second Coming, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”  Matthew 24:36.

e.             Notwithstanding the calendar synchronization issues, my best guess of the timetable would look something like this [again, this is based on 32 AD]: Starting with the NASA phases of the moon tables [see   Espenak, Fred. (March 27, 2007). Phases of the Moon: 1-100.  NASA. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phases0001.html]--

Gregorian	Hebrew	Day of Week	Comments
March 29	-	Thursday	The NASA Phases of the Moon:1-100 table shows the new moon closest to the vernal equinox of 32 AD, appearing at 8:00 p.m, in Universal Time, which would equate to 10 p.m. in Jerusalem; the Sanhedrin would thus most likely have considered the spotting of the new moon on this evening to have caused the following day to be Nisan 1.
March 30	Nisan 1	Friday
March 31	Nisan 2	Saturday
April 1	Nisan 3	Sunday
April 2	Nisan 4	Monday
April 3	Nisan 5	Tuesday
April 4	Nisan 6	Wednesday
April 5	Nisan 7	Thursday
April 6	Nisan 8	Friday
April 7	Nisan 9	Saturday	Jesus anointed in Bethany
April 8	Nisan 10	Sunday	Jesus’ Triumphal Entry
April 9	Nisan 11	Monday
April 10	Nisan 12	Tuesday
April 11	Nisan 13	Wednesday
April 12	Nisan 14	Thursday	Passover Seder on this evening: the Last Supper
April 13	Nisan 15	Friday	1st day of Passover: Jesus arrested very early, then taken to the sanhedrin and Pilate and to Herod and back to Pilate; whipped; crucified; died; buried before sunset; Preparation Day (day before Sabbath); the NASA tables show a full moon as well as a total lunar eclipse this night.
April 14	Nisan 16	Saturday	2nd day of Passover: Sabbath Day
April 15	Nisan 17	Sunday	3rd day of Passover: Resurrection Day (earthquake on this day)
April 16	Nisan 18	Monday	4th day of Passover:
April 17	Nisan 19	Tuesday	5th day of Passover
April 18	Nisan 20	Wednesday	6th day of Passover
April 19	Nisan 21	Thursday	Last day of Passover
April 20	Nisan 22	Friday

[Note that the listing of the days of the week was made to sync with the Scriptural account.  A number of people have offered day-of-the-week calculators, trying to account for all of the variations of calendars over the years, but they all seem to yield a variety of answers when estimating the precise day of the week for a given date in 32 AD. If you study the complexities of calendar calculations, you will see that it is nearly impossible to try to match the day of the week with a particular day that far back in time.]

Thus, there are corroborating elements indicating that 32 AD is a very realistically probable year of the Triumphal Entry, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.  This evidence makes Daniel’s prophecy regarding the Messiah’s being both Prince and “cut off” 483 prophetic years from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem particularly amazing.

Antichrist Prophecy

We can also see in Daniel’s prophecy some interesting considerations regarding the antichrist.

1.             First, it is interesting to note Gabriel’s prophecy that “seventy weeks have been decreed” relating to Jews and Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24), yet the prophecy regarding the Messiah encompassed only 69 of the weeks (Daniel 9:25-26a).  The 69 weeks period ends when the Messiah is “cut off” (Daniel 9:26).  There is, therefore, a remaining week (7 prophetic year period) involving Jerusalem and the Jews to be addressed after the Messiah’s being “cut off.”

2.             The prophecy does, indeed, address the final “one week” period.  Daniel 9:27a indicates that the antichrist “will make a firm covenant with the many for one week.”  Thus, the final week is distinct from the 69 week period.  And we understand this prophecy to apply to a period in the future--far from the death of Christ.  To some dispensationalists, this break in time periods is particularly coherent: Jesus’ death and resurrection mark the end of the period decreed for the Jews as well as the beginning of the church age, a time when Gentiles are given the opportunity to accept Christ (see John 12:20-23 wherein the story of Gentiles wanting to see Jesus appeared to be a marker for Jesus to know that the time of the Gentiles was about to begin); that age continues until the start of the final “one week” period.  The final “one week” period, according to Gabriel’s prophecy, is, after all, part of the 70 week period decreed for the Jews and for Jerusalem.  Thus, the age of the Gentiles should end before the beginning of the final “one week” period applicable to the Jews.  Many evangelicals see this transition being marked by a “Rapture” event, wherein believers in Christ are removed from Earth prior to the playing out of the final “one week” period. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.)  Certainly, if believers in Christ are removed from the Earth, the focus of the plan of God should, theologically, shift back to the Jews (who haven’t accepted Jesus as their savior but are still the beneficiaries of the promises given by God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob); they would be given a final opportunity to embrace the plan of God--in the context of a final, 7-prophetic-year period that precedes the Second Coming of Jesus (which orthodox Jews currently understand, simply, as the Coming of the Messiah).  The Second Coming of Jesus would mark the dawn of a new era--a 1000 year period of the reign of the Messiah on Earth.  (The Second Coming of Christ and His millennial reign are not, however, encompassed by this prophecy except as a marker for the bringing of “everlasting righteousness.”)

3.             The fact that the final “one week” period is distinctly applicable to the Jews is marked by the prophetic statement: “in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering” (Daniel 9:27b). After the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is no need for sacrifices or grain offerings.  People saved in the church age understand this; orthodox Jews, however, do not understand this; the only reason the orthodox Jews are not sacrificing and making offerings is that there is no temple; there is no temple, because the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine, is situated precisely where the orthodox Jews believe the temple is to be situated.  See Dome of the Rock. (n.d.) In Wikipedia.  Retrieved on October 31, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_of_the_Rock. Thus, the prophetic statement suggests that the Jewish temple is to be re-built.

4.             The prophecy further indicates that the antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews.  As indicated in Daniel 9:27, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”  Thus, in the middle of the 7-prophetic-year period, started by the activation of a covenant with the Jews, the antichrist will break the covenant, and destruction and desolation will come.  As noted above, Jesus expressly refers to this part of the prophecy in Daniel during the week of His crucifixion (see Matthew 24:15-31)--amazingly tying together the prophecy from Daniel to Jesus to the antichrist.

5.             In Daniel 9:26-27 there is a curious triality with regard to the references to the antichrist: “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”  The triality arises from the facts that (a) Jerusalem and the temple existing at the time of Jesus’ life on Earth was destroyed in 70 AD by Rome through Titus (who wanted to convert the temple into a temple for Rome) (see Siege of Jerusalem. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 31, 2014, from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(AD_70)), (b) Jerusalem and the temple created following Daniel’s captivity were destroyed in 167 BC by Greece through Antiochus Epiphanes (who insisted that the Jews worship Zeus and referred to himself as god) (see Aniochus IV Epiphanes. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved on October 31, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_IV_Epiphanes), and (c) the antichrist will also act to desolate the temple.  This is why the prophecy indicates “desolations are determined.” 

6.             The reference “people of the prince who is to come” may carry a suggestion that there is a relationship between the antichrist and the prior desolators.  In this regard, it is interesting to note that Antiochus IV Epiphanes was king of the Seleucid Empire, which encompassed areas now known as Israel, Syria, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq.  Titus was the emperor of the Roman Empire, which encompassed areas now known as Europe, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Israel and Egypt.

In sum, the prophecy given to Daniel by Gabriel encompasses a host of events involving the Messiah.  It provided something amazing for Daniel to look forward to, and it gives us an amazing opportunity to look both back and forward in time with confidence that the Messiah came and will, indeed, come again.



Mark Absher
California
 

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Is the Rapture around the Corner?

The following cursory analysis is not submitted as a definitive conclusion regarding the Rapture or the 2nd Coming of Christ.  It is, rather, offered to provoke thought regarding the possible eminent occurrence of key prophetic events (see Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:3).  Consider how close we could be to the threshold of the end.

1. The Days of Creation to Millenniums Comparison. The Apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 3:8, says "but do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day." Contextually, this verse is situated within a chapter regarding the "last days" (see also Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 23:20; Acts 2:17; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3 for cross references to "last days"). And the verse is significant for a variety of reasons, including the strong possibility that it hints at the paradigm of God with regard to His plan for the ages. God created everything in 6 days, and He rested on the 7th day--the Sabbath day; He blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11.)  Many Jewish and evangelical scholars have opined that the 6 days of creation equate (some even say "day for day" to "millennium to millennium") to the 6,000 year period of the existence of the world. (See, e.g., Tim McHyde. "God’s 6000 Year Plan: Dating Jesus’ Latest Return?" Escape All These Things. n.d. 15 October 2014. http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/6000-year-timeline.htm.)  In the "day for day" analysis, for instance, it is noteworthy that the sun and moon were created to provide light to the earth on the 4th day. (Genesis 1:16-19.)  Similarly, Christ came to the earth as the "light of the world" (John 8:12) at the end of the first 4,000 years of the world's existence. If this day-of-creation-to-millennium paradigm holds true, then, as many scholars further opine, at the end of the 6,000 year period of the world's existence, it will be time for the world's Sabbath--the final 1,000 year period of rest through the millennial reign of the Messiah (see Revelation 20:2-7). Assuming that this is, in fact, the paradigm of God, then the question becomes, if we want to know when Jesus will return to reign, where are we on the time line?

2. Years Until the Messiah Returns. According to the Jewish calendar, the current year is 5775, and it began (cross referencing to the Gregorian calendar) on September 25, 2014. If the Jewish calendar year is correct, and if the above described paradigm of God holds true, then we'd have approximately 225 years before the 2nd Coming of Christ (or as the Jews would say, the arrival of the Messiah). However, consider the calculations noted below, which suggest that perhaps we are closer than 225 years from the end of the first 6,000 years of the world's existence. The discrepancies are curious, and the reasons for the discrepancies perhaps even more curious (some say that rabbis are endeavoring to hide the true date set for the arrival of the Messiah--perhaps to avoid encouraging imposters to announce that they are the Messiah). Nevertheless, the considerations below are interesting.

3. Calculations of the Age of the World. In approximately 160 AD, Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta, in his work, Seder Olam Rabbah (which is the basis for the Jewish calendar), calculated the age of the world using available Hebrew chronologies, from creation to the year of Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia. "Seder Olam Rabbah." n.d. 14 October 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seder_Olam_Rabbah. There are a few items in his calculations that some challenge (and, again, some assert that years were deleted purposefully to mask the true current year), but the challenges can be largely side-stepped as follows. According to Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta's chronology, the Babylonians destroyed the first temple in year 3338 (i.e., 3,338 years after the creation of the world). "Hebrew/Jewish History - Timeline - Chronology - Important Dates." n.d. 14 October 2014. http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover/jewish-history-timeline.html. This is a useful marker for purposes of comparison to the Gregorian calendar, because (a) this marker pre-dates most of the challenges that historians have with Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta's calculations, and (b) historians document the year of the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians to be June/July of 586 or 587 BC on the Gregorian calendar. "Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)." n.d. 4 December 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_%28587_BC%29.  The year 587 BC was exactly 2600 years ago--from the current calendar year of 2014 (i.e., 2014+587=2601; from the total 2601, we must subtract 1 year, because the Gregorian calendar omits a year "0"--jumping from 1 BC to 1 AD).  If we add 2600 years to Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta's calendar year 3338, we'd actually be (in June/July of year 2014 on the Gregorian calendar) in year 5938 on the Jewish calendar--just 62 years from the year 6000.  [If the temple were actually destroyed in year 586 BC, we'd be in year 5937 on the Jewish calendar--just 63 years from the year 6000].  Note, too, that this year, June/July of 5938, would become year 5939 on the Jewish calendar in September of 2014.

4. Fixing a Calculation Error. There appears to be one error, though, that we should take into account for purposes of calculating the true current year on the Jewish calendar.  In calculating the genealogies found in the Torah, Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta, in the Seder Olam Rabbah, included only 70 years for the period between the time of birth of Terah (Abraham's father) and the birth of Abraham. (See e.g., R .P. BenDedek. "Topic 2. Seder Olam Chronological Chart : Adam to Abraham." 7 January 2006.  King's Calendar.Com. 15 October 2014. http://www.kingscalendar.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=viewnews&id=320.)  He likely did this based on the passage found in Genesis 11:26, which states, "Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran." The Rabbi's calculation basis isn't bad; it's just that the calculation assumes that Abraham was the first born of the 3 sons named. (See [Author alias:]defiant1203. "The Hebrew Calendar - Missing Years." Bible Prophecy Discussion / Joel's Trumpet. n.d. 14 October 2014. http://joelstrumpet.freeforums.org/the-hebrew-calendar-missing-years-t1876.html.)  A combination of 3 additional passages in Scripture provides a different perspective: Genesis 11:32 indicates that "[t]he days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran." Further, Genesis 12:4 provides that "Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran." Finally, in Acts 7:4, the martyr Stephen affirms that Abraham waited until the death of his father, Terah, before leaving Haran.  If Abraham were age 75, when his father Terah died at age 205, then Terah had to be 130 years old when Abraham was born--not 70 years old.  Thus, Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta should have included 130 years, and not 70 years, between the birth of Terah and the birth of Abraham.  To fix his error, we must add 60 years to the year noted above, 5939, making this Gregorian calendar year, as of September 24, 2014, equate to the start of the year 5999 on the Jewish calendar--calculating from the beginning of the world.

5. At the Threshold of Year 6000. The above adjustments would mean that on the first day of the Jewish new year in 2015, September 13, the world would have completed 6,000 years, and that could mark the beginning of a new period. [If the temple were actually destroyed in year 586 BC, then the marker on the Gregorian calendar for the completion of the 6,000 year period would be October 2, 2016.]

6. How the Periods May Sync. The Jews believe that the Messiah will begin His reign after the completion of the 6,000 year period. They do not believe in the Book of Revelation. They certainly do not believe in the Rapture. If the Jews were right, it would, indeed, be possible for the Millennial reign of the Messiah to begin at the conclusion of the 6,000 year period. However, such a conclusion fails to account for numerous passages of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments that detail the existence of a period of significant tribulation prior to the arrival of the Messiah and His Millennial reign. And our world has experienced nothing of the sort to date (see, for example, Matthew 24). To reconcile a number of Scriptures, taking into consideration the period of tribulation and the possibility of a Rapture event, consider this possible scenario: 

• At the conclusion of the 6,000 year period, the Rapture event occurs (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
• The Rapture event marks the conclusion of the Church Age (or perhaps also known as the Age of the Gentiles) (i.e., the period of time from the ascension of Christ to the ascension of believers in Christ) and the 6,000 year period of man.  
• With the Church Age and the 6,000 year period concluded, one more critical period is left to be resolved before the Millennial reign of Christ: The final "week" (i.e., the 7-year period) as prophesied in Daniel.  In Daniel 9:24-27, we read the account of Gabriel's informing Daniel that 70 weeks are decreed "for your people and the holy city" (i.e., for Daniel's people, the nation of Israel and Jerusalem) (verse 24).  We further read that the calculation of the period is as follows: starting from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, 69 periods of 7 years (i.e., 483 years) will pass before the Messiah comes and is then "cut off" (verses 25-26). There are 2 things to consider about this prophecy: (1) this 483 year period encompasses all of the 70 periods of 7 years, except for 1, and (2) approximately 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (and there are a few to reference, but the one that coincides with this analysis is the permission given by Artaxerxes I in 445 BC to Nehemiah), Jesus Christ ascended to heaven (which would coincide with Daniel's prophecy that the Messiah would be "cut off").  Assuming the analysis is correct regarding the time frame and Jesus' ascension, it makes sense that the final 7-year period of the 70 "weeks" has been suspended to allow for the intervention of the Church Age.  Thus, upon the conclusion of the Church Age, the final 7-year period that has been decreed for Israel and Jerusalem can be accomplished.  It would, indeed, be a very special 7-year period and would be the perfect transition to the Millennial reign of Christ.  That final 7-year period is described in Daniel 9:27: "And he [the antichrist] will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [one, final 7 year period], but in the middle of the week [3 1/2 years into the 7-year period] he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." When the antichrist breaks the covenant (that he made with Israel at the start of the 7-year period) in the middle of the 7-year period, as described in Daniel 9:27, the final 3 1/2 year period, the Great Tribulation, will begin. (See 2 Thessalonians 2; Matthew 24:4-8, 15; Daniel 8:9-14, 23-25; Psalm 10-11; Revelation 13:11-18).
• At the conclusion of the Great Tribulation, the final week decreed for Israel and Jerusalem shall be completed, and Jesus Christ shall return to Earth as the Messiah, with his arrival immediately preceded by the "Day of the Lord." (See Joel 1:15-2:11; Ezekiel 36:33; Amos 5:18-20; Zechariah 13; Zephaniah 1:2-18; Matthew 24:21, 27, 30-31, 36; Revelation 6:1-11) 

7. Other Possible Confirmation Markers. Considering the possibility that this current Jewish year, beginning, September 25, 2014, and ending at sundown on September 13, 2015 (start of Rosh Hashana 2015), could constitute the end of the current age, it becomes intriguingly curious that this current Jewish year is a Sabbath year (every 7 years is a Sabbath year). It is also curious that the 4th blood moon in the current tetrad of 4 consecutive total lunar eclipses (all of which coincide with 4 key Jewish holy days) occurs on September 28, 2015.  See Brumfield, Ben. "Blood moon returns early Wednesday, and this time it's bigger." CNN. October 7, 2014. 5 December 2014. http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/03/tech/innovation/second-blood-moon/.  These intersecting and significant considerations could constitute markers that confirm the end of the current age or a period of transition to the next age.

8. Israel as a Jewish State. In addition, certain current events could constitute the final conditions before the unfolding of the end of times.  For instance, Israel's Knesset, the legislative branch of the Israeli government, is poised to vote on a bill in December of 2014 (and if it doesn't pass then, it could nevertheless be resurrected again later) that would recognize the nation of Israel as a distinctly Jewish state.  (See, for discussion purposes, the many articles posted in the Harretz news at http://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/Jewish%20nation-state-1.628358.) Such a bill could usher in the final 7 year period that has been decreed for the Jewish people and for Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:24)  In fact, without such a bill, it's difficult to see the clear connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem.  If such a bill is enacted, then it would be clear that an action against Jerusalem is an action against the Jewish people--seemingly a key to the prophecies set forth in Daniel and Revelation with regard to the Tribulation period. In this regard, consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:32-33: "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door."  Other Scriptures, contextually referring to the end times, suggest that the fig tree is a picture of Israel as the nation state of the Jews.  (See, e.g., Joel 2:21-23, Micah 4:1-4, Joel 1:1-7.)

9. Can We Know the Time of the End? It isn't exactly clear if we can know the time marked for certain end time events.  Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Matthew 24:36.)  However, Jesus was speaking specifically of his 2nd Coming, in direct response the question of His disciples: "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3.) Of course, too, Jesus didn't foreclose our ability to know the year or month when these things will occur.  So, we can certainly endeavor to study as diligently as we desire in order to assess such times--not too differently from the Magi, who also studied prophecies and the stars to pinpoint the arrival of Jesus the first time.  (See Matthew 2:2-6.)  As it is becoming increasingly clear that the end of the age is close, we should pay attention to the words of Jesus: "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. ... What I say to you [the Jewish disciples of Jesus] I say to all [including us today], ‘Be on the alert!'” (Mark 13:33, 37.)

We could indeed be living in or near the Last Days.

Mark Absher
California

 

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Homosexuality, Societal Norms and Leviticus 18:22

I like the TV series The West Wing, but I find it somewhat disturbing that the writers of the popular series sometimes use the program as a means to try to help correct my misapprehension of what they understand truth to be. In one of the episodes, the President's character (and of course the President is portrayed as amazingly brilliant) lashes out against some passages of Scripture (this despite the fact that his character is supposed to be a somewhat practicing Catholic--but of course the writers can sidestep these matters when they so choose). One of the passages in particular was Leviticus 18:22 wherein God identifies homosexuality as "an abomination." In that moment in the episode, the President's character voiced the Antichristians' consistent rant that the Leviticus passage is as anachronistic as the passage wherein God tells the Jews not to wear clothing that mixes wool and cotton. Like the Antichristians, the President's character equates a law of God that applies only to Jews with a moral law of God that applies to all mankind without any limitations as to time. The clear message of the character's (i.e., the writer's) rant is that God's perspective on homosexuality is outdated, and that when society is finally ready to abandon God's perspective, it is best that God just step aside or get on board--if indeed He even exists.

The message of the show certainly appears to have resonated with society. Homosexuality is no longer a political issue. It is no longer a state vs. federal government issue. It is the societal norm. It got there through a multi-front barrage of repeated insistence that society accept numerous aspects of the homosexual lifestyle--questioning God all along the way. Society has been asked by the Antichristians to accept, whether anyone likes or agrees with it or not, homosexual pride parades, homosexual festivals, homosexual communities, and the extension of health insurance and other employment benefits to homosexual mates, and we've all been force fed by the Antichristians in the entertainment industry, in innumerable movies, documentaries and TV shows, the notions of homosexual friends, homosexual relationships, homosexual hand holding, homosexual kissing, homosexual rights, homosexual sex, homosexual marriage, and homosexual adoption. Homosexual television and movie characters are made to be the most sympathetic as well as the heroes and heroines. In the recent TV series World Without End, the hero, King Edward II, declares to his homosexual lover that he loves him more than anyone else that he's ever loved--thus homosexual love trumps heterosexual love. The King later sacrifices his life to save a city of people. Prior to the King's death, he is absolved for his homosexual "sins" by a female friar, a heroine, who has her own lesbian moment with an associate nun who says in their moment of passion, "God won't mind." We are led to applaud the King and the female friar, who are clearly more noble than their heterosexual counterparts. These few characters represent a minuscule fraction of the Antichristians' homosexual agenda media deluge.

The Antichristians have crafted a political campaign as well. The Democratic party, in an effort to wrangle the homosexual community into its fold, took up the banner of liberty and equality for homosexuals, asserting that surely the Constitution wouldn't prevent this group from enjoying every right (particularly the rights enjoyed only by married persons, namely, the right to be married) of other Americans. Interestingly and more recently, even the Republican party, which for years has included anti-homosexual agenda planks in their platform as a means to garner the support of "Christians," has now abandoned the planks out of fear that they are preventing the party from securing a larger segment of the moderates who have decided that maybe people should just embrace homosexuality as par.

Thus, it is fair to say that our American culture has embraced the idea that homosexuals are entitled to the same rights as married couples--including the rights to marry and adopt children. Further, inasmuch as the culture has accepted the idea of homosexual marriage, the culture has necessarily determined that the principles of morality as laid out by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe in Leviticus 18:22 must necessarily be rejected as "out of touch." So as not to kick Christians in the teeth, however, our culture has announced its position that some verses in the Bible may be retained as consistent with the notion that we embrace homosexuality as normative--namely the verses that say things like "Love thy neighbor." Surely, lots of people, including Christians, have homosexual neighbors, so to be faithful to Scripture, we have to embrace homosexuality.

Before society slams the door on God's perspective in Leviticus 18:22, however, I'd like to respond in defense of God's declaration. I have been silent to date, not because I condone homosexuality, but rather out of sheer amazement at the brashness of Antichristians to demand that society, including I myself, accept homosexuality and at society's mind-numbing willingness to accept the demands as normal.

Notwithstanding Antichristians' disdain for the substance of the passage, here are just a few considerations about the verse that bear mentioning:

1. Leviticus 18:22 is a direct quote from God. The verses states "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." Not all Scripture is given in the form of dictation as where God speaks and a scrivener writes the very words of God. This passage, however, is in fact one such instance. The opening phrase to Leviticus 18 is this: "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying ...." Thus, there is no mistaking the precise source of the statement and the precise words of the statement. There is little getting around it. It doesn't seem like there's room, here, for an interpretation issue. Those who argue with the content of the verse are arguing with God Himself. Of course, many people respond to this argument by declaring that God doesn't exist. If He doesn't exist, we don't have to worry about what some people say He says. We can ignore it as gibberish--the words of some person who wants to hamstring us with his own personal view of morality. But if God does exist, people who practice homosexuality have a serious problem: they are acting clearly contrary to the direct, spoken Word of God.

2. Leviticus 18:22 is not in context with the passage regarding the mixing of cotton and wool; rather, the context is sexually offensive or otherwise morally offensive acts. Consider what else Leviticus 18 says: In verse 7, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his mother; in verse 8, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his step mother; in verse 9, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his sister; in verse 10, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his granddaughter; in verse 11, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his step sister; in verses 12-14, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his aunt; in verse 15, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his daughter-in-law; in verse 16, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his sister-in-law; in verse 17, God says that a man should not seek a marital or sexual relationship with both a woman and her daughter or a woman and her granddaughter; and, curiously, God states that such an action is "depraved"; in verse 18, God says that a man is not to marry a woman and her sister and have sexual relations with the sister while the first wife is alive; in verse 19, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual period (and, interestingly, this is the only portion of the list where God gives no special reason for compliance); in verse 20, God says that a man is not to have sexual relations with his neighbor's wife; in verse 21, God says that the people are not sacrifice their children to Molech (a god); in verse 23, God says that people are not to have sexual relations with animals.

That's the context. The context is not about textiles. The verses around the verse that classifies homosexuality as an abomination denounce child sacrifice and bestiality. Somehow ... in that context, the verse seems a little less anachronistic.

The reality is that even today, homosexuality aside, everything in the list is still considered to be objectionable by most people. It would be convenient for any group that is offending one of these prohibitions to be able to say, "Well, that's Old Testament silliness that doesn't apply anymore"; perhaps they could buy billboards, wage political campaigns, etc., and eventually persuade society that it's okay for a man to have sex with his granddaughter or to offer his child in sacrifice to a god; however, even if the government fully sanctioned such practices as permissible, the statement of God in Leviticus 18 would still exist and continue to condemn the practice.

3. Unlike many laws and rules of the Old Testament that expressly apply only to the descendants of Jacob, these laws seem to apply to the rest of society as well. The chapter does begin by saying, in verse 2, "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them ...." However, in verse 24, which follows the list of prohibited acts, God says, "Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled." Thus, other nations that were not Jewish nations defiled themselves by engaging in the prohibited practices. This list of prohibited acts, then, has particular importance for all nations of people. God declared that any person, Jewish or otherwise, defiles himself by engaging in such acts.

4. God offers a promise for those who comply with His pronounced standards. In verses 4 and 5, He says, "You are to practice My ordinances and you are to keep My statutes by following them; I am Yahweh your God. Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am Yahweh." The implication is that a person who declines to live by God's standards will die prematurely or perhaps die spiritually; and the express promise is that the person who complies will live.

Certainly, the Antichristians can scoff that God does not exist and that any claimed "promise" is illusory or a fairy tale. However, I sincerely believe that all scoffers, all Antichristians, all Christians, all Jews--all persons--have a conscience, however faint, that whispers: "_____________ is wrong," and in the blank is any of the prohibitions stated in Leviticus 18, including homosexuality. And I believe they inherently understand that they will live longer if they don't engage in the proscribed conduct. If they don't, it is quite likely that they have died spiritually--and thereby attained a whole new state of depravity.

5. Leviticus 18:22 is not the only passage to condemn homosexuality. Consider the following additional passages:

a. Leviticus 20:13 reiterates a number of the practices that God identifies as detestable, including homosexuality: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them." (It is noteworthy that the same condemnation applies in this passage to adulterers, those who make child sacrifices, and those who commit incest.)

b. Sodom & Gomorrah - Genesis 13:13 notes without much detail, "Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord." Again, without much detail, God tells Abraham in person in Genesis 18:20, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave." Abraham proceeds to plead with God not to destroy the cities, and God agrees that if there are 10 righteous people present in the cities, He will spare them. In Genesis 19, two angels proceed to Sodom. The account relates that young and old Sodomites surrounded Lot's house, demanding that he send the visitors out so that the Sodomites could rape them. The spiritual depravity of the residents had clearly reached a terrible low. The angels removed Lot and his family from Sodom before God poured out His wrath. Genesis 19:24-25 states "Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground." The spiritual state of Sodom and Gomorrah represent the final state of those who pursue detestable sins with fervor. They are willing to rape innocent people to satisfy their prurient desires. Such is the life of a person who forsakes God for those things that God identifies as detestable.

c. Romans 1:27 provides a New Testament (post death and resurrection of Christ) perspective of homosexuality: "And in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." Regrettably, the penalty received could be spiritual death as well as physical death.

d. I Corinthians 6:9-11 includes homosexuality in a list of New Testament sins that are identified as keeping people from inheriting the kingdom of God: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

Thus, the Bible doesn't leave the condemnation of homosexuality to a single Old Testament passage that some Antichristians desire to depict as anachronistic. The message that the practice of homosexuality is detestable to God is pervasive in Scripture.

6. Opposition to homosexuality doesn't equate to hatred of homosexuals. The fact is that those who practice homosexuality are almost certainly loved by many people, including Bible believing Christians. Bible believing Christians don't decide not to love their neighbors that happen to be homosexuals. Bible believing Christians understand a fundamental Scriptural truth: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). However, Bible believing Christians are faced with a unique consideration regarding homosexuality as compared to all other abominations identified in Leviticus 18: Antichristians demand that homosexuality be recognized as an acceptable lifestyle notwithstanding the declarations of God. In this regard, it is noteworthy that there is no such thing as an Adultery Pride Parade, an Incest Pride Parade or a Child Sacrifice Pride Parade. We don't see TV characters as heroes or heroines who are involved in Grandfather-Granddaughter or Aunt-Nephew sexual relationships. Those who practice such activities may someday make their demands on society, insisting on acceptance and the award of special rights. Thus far, though, they appear to be sufficiently ashamed of their activities to warrant "hiding." The Antichristians, however, do not want homosexuals to be ashamed of their activities; they want homosexuality to be embraced. They want to hear society, like the character in World Without End, say to homosexuals, "It's okay. God won't mind." Homosexuals, apparently conscience stricken by their activities, need Hollywood, the Democratic party, the Republican party, the federal government, the state government, and as many other groups as possible to say, "You can do what you want to do." As long as the Antichristians make that demand, the Bible believing Christians will have to say, "I love my homosexual neighbor, but what he or she is doing is wrong." And in reminding the world of the abominable nature of homosexuality, the Bible believing Christians are doing the most loving thing they can do: Encourage those who practice homosexuality to reject the Antichristian ideology that homosexuality is acceptable and "seek to conform your lifestyle to the patterns established for you by God, for therein you will find true fulfillment."

In sum, society may have rejected the declaration of Leviticus 18:22 as outdated or mythical tradition; however, this moral pronouncement of God in Leviticus 18:22 is eternal. Those who stand against it cannot stand long enough to make it disappear from the mind of God or the consciences of the persons who have been told the lie that "it's okay."



Mark Absher

 

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Considering Abortion in Relation to Scriptures Regarding God's Involvement with Human Existence

With regard to the issue of whether the woman's right to control her body is the paramount consideration in determining whether she should be able to terminate the life of the unborn person, those who believe in God and His Word should consider the following questions and related Scriptures:

1.         At what point, if any, does God recognize the "viability" of the unborn person? 

            Consider the following examples and Scriptures that touch on this issue:

Jesus - Luke 1 – Note from the following passage the fact that Jesus was identified by name, gender and purpose before He was even conceived:

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Of course, in considering this pre-conception announcement, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) Jesus is God, (b) God had to plan for Jesus to come into existence so that He could be the savior of the world that God knew would become fallen, (c) since God ordained the existence of Jesus, it wasn’t unusual for God to have announced Jesus’ birth even before he was conceived, and (d) Jesus is otherwise certainly unlike anyone else. Thus, perhaps it’s simply not fair to consider the birth of Jesus in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

John the Baptist - Luke 1 – However, note from the following passage the fact that someone who is not Jesus was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived:

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. ⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted a special forerunner for Jesus, and (b) because of John’s special purpose, God would ordain the existence of John and announce his birth even before he was conceived.  Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of John the Baptist in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

Samson - Judges 13 – However, note from the following passage the fact that someone who is not Jesus and who is not a forerunner for Jesus was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived.

² A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. ³ The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. ⁴ Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. ⁵ You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted to select a judge for Israel for a special purpose, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain the existence of Samson and announce his birth even before he was conceived.  Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Samson in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

Isaac – Genesis 17 – However, consider from the following account the fact that someone who is not Jesus, who is not a forerunner for Jesus, and who was not a judge for Israel was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived.

¹⁵ God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. ¹⁶ I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted to identify a particular descendant of Abraham, namely one born of his wife, Sarah, for the special purpose of carrying the line of future Israel, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain the existence of Isaac and announce his birth even before he was conceived.  Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Isaac in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

Note, however, from the above passage God’s detailing the fact that nations and kings will issue from Sarah. It thus appears at this point in time that many descendants were ordained to be born, and certain of those future persons had already been ordained by God to serve as kings.  Presumably, God was speaking about persons who would be born hundreds of years in the future.

Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1 – The following passage reflects an account wherein God advises a prophet that before he was conceived, he was known by God and appointed by God for a particular purpose:

⁴ Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) God probably needed a particular prophet for the special purpose of confronting the nations, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain Jeremiah’s existence even before he was conceived.  Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Jeremiah in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

Paul – Galatians – The following passage reflects Paul’s understanding of his own appointment by God before birth:

¹⁵ But . . . God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.

Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) God probably needed a particular person for the special purpose of bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain Paul’s purpose even before he was born.  Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Paul in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.

Ishmael – Genesis 16-17 – However, consider from the following passage that someone who is not Jesus, who is not a forerunner for Jesus, who was not a judge for Israel, who was not carrying the line of future Israel, was not a prophet and was not otherwise set apart for a special message to special people was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was born (although after he was conceived).

^16b So Sarai treated [Hagar] harshly, and she fled from her presence. ⁷Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸ He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” ⁹ Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” ¹⁰Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” ¹¹ The angel of the Lord said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,

And you will bear a son;

And you shall call his name Ishmael,

Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.

¹² “He will be a wild donkey of a man,

His hand will be against everyone,

And everyone’s hand will be against him;

And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

* * *

^17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”

There is not much to acknowledge here as any special reason that God would ordain the existence of Ishmael and announce his name and purpose before he was born.  In fact, given the nature of the conflict that has since existed between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, it’s curious that God would ordain Ishmael’s existence at all.  Further, given what we know about the violence caused by Ishmael’s descendants through the ages—even to the destruction experienced by the United States in the attack that occurred on September 11, 2001, many may have advised God, at that time, to consider aborting Ishmael as opposed to allowing him to be born.  After all, why should God allow His chosen people to be so troubled?  Yet God, knowing full well the future strife, committed not only to allow Ishmael to be born, but also to make Ishmael into a great nation.

Note here, too, that God announced the existence of a specific number of rulers that will issue from Ishmael even before Ishmael was born.  Again, this passage reflects that God already knows the particular persons who will be performing the particular role of ruler.

Believers - Ephesians 1 – Consider, further, the fact that even believers themselves have been chosen—and not just chosen; we were chosen before the world began. To be “chosen,” our existence had to be first ordained.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

See also Psalm 102:18 - This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.

It thus appears that we have been ordained not only to exist, but to be chosen in Him and to praise Him.  We were not only identified, but we were also selected prior to creation.
 

2.         Does God really know the details of each person that exists?

Consider the following passages wherein our genetic detail and even our thoughts are known by God:

Matthew 10:29-30 - (Jesus) "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."

Psalm 139:1-4 - (David) "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all."

Thus, God is intimately acquainted with us while we exist.

3.         Is God really involved in human development?

Consider the following passages that recount the details of God’s involvement with the origination and development of humanity:

Genesis 4:1 - Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”

Job 10:8, 10-12a - (Job) ‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether ....  Did You not ... clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews? You have granted me life ...."

Job 31:15 - (Job) “Did not He who made me in the womb make him, and the same one fashion us in the womb?"

Psalm 119:73 - (David) "Your hands made me and fashioned me."

Psalm 139:13-16 (David) "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

Isaiah 42:5 - Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.

Isaiah 44:24 - Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone."

John 1:1-3 -  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Revelation 4:11 - “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

Revelation 5:13 - And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Revelation 10:6 - And swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer.

Thus, we are knit together and we exist and have spirit by the hand of God.

4.         Is God involved in human disability?

            Consider the following passage from Exodus 4:

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Thus, it appears that God is even the author of disability—which many consider to be an error in genetic composition.

Conclusion: From these passages of Scripture, it appears that God ordains the existence of each person before the person is even conceived, fashions each person at his or her appointed time, and then observes and knows each person as they exist.  Abortion, then, can be nothing less than one or more human beings’ deliberately contravening the will of God by destroying the life of a person whose very existence had been ordained by God.