Very few Christians understand where their prayers are going to when they pray to God. In both the old and the new testaments, prayer is symbolized as a sweet odor or incense raising up to God's Throne were the Lord Jesus Christ is our great and high Priest Intercessor.
Jesus said that He came from heaven. He is either the Messiah or an Impostor! Jews claim to have Abraham for their Father. This old Patriarch was in a way like God. God let Abraham wait for a very long time before He fulfilled His promise to him of a Son. This represents the Jewish Nation of Israel who had to wait 4 000 years to see God's promise of the Messiah come true.
After God gave Abraham an only Son, representing Christ, He asked Him to go to a certain Hill to offer his only Son there as a sacrifice. It tested Abraham's obedience, which he passed. On this very same Hill was God's only Son Jesus Christ crucified for our sins.
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ". (Gal.3:16).
"And the Scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen (ungodly non-Jews) through faith, preached the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all Nations be blessed". (3:8). Even though the Nation of Israel became the custodians of the gospel for a while, they have no patent rights to it today. In fact that Nation proved very unfaithful and killed every prophet send to them by God and finally God send His own Son and they did the same to Him as well.
God finally set an ultimatum to the Jewish Nation while they were in Babylonian and Medo Persian Captivity as punishment for their unfaithfulness. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, 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". (Daniel 9:24 K.J.V.). I like the Living Bible translation which puts the 490 days into years and tells us that the Most Holy refers to God's Temple/Tabernacle/Sanctuary and not God Himself
Listen as Daniel continues: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going of the commandment to restore and rebuilt Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and sixty two weeks: the streets shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times".(v.25) there were three decrees or commandments to restore and rebuilt by Artaxerxis, but only one contained the permission to rebuilt the city. This decree was given in 457 B.C. and from that starting point, seven weeks or seven sevens would be 49 years reaching to the year 408 B.C. when the restoration was completed. The remaining 62xsevens or 434 years would reach to 27 A.D. when Jesus Christ was baptised or anointed by John the Baptist and the Holy Spirit.
"And after sixty-two weeks the Messiah shall be cut
off, but not for Himself; And the people of the Prince who is to come, shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood. And till the end of the war
desolation are determined.(v.26). After 62 weeks of years, the Messiah
Jesus Christ did get cut off (crucified) but not for Himself but for the sins of
the world. And the people that came to destroy the city are said to belong to
Jesus, us Gentiles or non-Jews. In A.D. 70 the city of Jerusalem was destroyed
and the Temple has never been rebuilt. Till the end, the war between good and
evil, Christ and Satan will continue and the earthly Temple will remain desolate
contrary to many modern Christian Churches teachings.
"Then shall
he confirm the covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He
shall bring an end to sacrifices and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the
consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate. (Daniel 9:27).
This one week of seven years from A.D. 27 goes to 34 A.D when the Jews finally
rejected the Messiah Prince and started to persecute the new testament church.
They had 3 1/2 years of gospel preaching and time to repent and finish with sin
and to anoint the most Holy Sanctuary. In that midst of this prophetic
week of seven years, Jesus was crucified. The old testament covenant was
confirmed until then when Stephen was stoned and the Believers in Christ driven
from Jerusalem.
Christ was the supreme sacrifice for sin the old testament had pointed to and at
His death all the sacrifices and offerings ceased, i.e. food and drink offerings
plus holy days such as the seven annual Sabbaths.
The Living Bible translated the days in Daniel 9 into years, yet the 2300 in Daniel 8:18 which is part of this prophecy regarding the Sanctuary Temple is left in days. Is it perhaps because the days are expressed differently such as evening and mornings like God named them in Genesis one?
The abominations of desolation Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15 cross reference straight to Daniel 8:13 where the 2300 days of years extend to our very own time. Daniel 9:26 says that the earthly Sanctuary remains desolate unto the end but in verse 27 it speaks of one who purposefully makes desolate unto the end. The teachings of Christ as Priest and Prince in the heavenly original has been witheld from being taught today except for isolated cases.
Seventy weeks are determined. What does it mean? In the Hebrew, the word determined means also 'cut off'. Cut off from what? From the previous vision of course .......whom I had seen in vision in the beginning [Daniel 9:21] ......therefore understand the matter and consider the vision [v.23b]. See Daniel 8:2 ...and I saw in vision.........and the vision of the morning and evening is true [v.26] referring to when the Angel Gabriel started the vision [verse 16] but could not finish it because Daniel fainted and could not take it all in [v.27] cut off from the 2300 days of years [8:14].
l_____________l____________________________________l___________l_____l_____l_______
_______l
457
408
BC><AD
27 31
34
1844
Both time prophecies of Daniel 8:14 and 9:24-27 belong together. Daniel 8:14 speaks of the cleansing or justifying of the Most Holy [place] and Daniel 9:24-27 of the anointing of the same. The justification of the Sanctuary or temple services was the blood of the lamb and now is the blood of the Son of GOD. JESUS rose to the heavenly Temple above to begin His priesthood of intercession and fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial service by personifying it. Type met Anti-type.
"Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in the time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16).
In the picture above, you can see Jesus officiating in front of the ark of the covenant containing the Ten Commandments. Above the box we have the mercy seat of God made of pure gold. The cherubims are high ranking angels showing us the great interest angels have in our salvation. The incense representing our prayers. Her we are told to worship God by faith.
Just as the prophecies of Daniel are the strongest proof that Jesus is the Messiah, so are there many more we shall look at. In Jer. 31:31-36 God prophesied of Jesus taking away the ordinances of the sacrificial system and ending physical Israel as a chosen Nation before God. See also Matthew 23:38 The house of Israel is left desolate.
Gen. 22:8 God would provide Himself a Lamb John
1:29 Gen.49:10 From the tribe of Judah
Matth.1:1-3
Isa.9:6,7 Heir to the throne of
David
Matth.1:1 Isa.9:6 Called "The
mighty God" Matth.1:23
Micah 5:2 Born in
Bethlehem
Matth.2:1 Isa.7:14 Born of a
virgin
Matth.1:18
Isa.7:14 His name be called "God with us"
Matth.1:23 Ps.2:7 To be the Son of
God
Heb.1:5;
Mal.4:5,6 His Messenger before
Him Luke
1:17 Mal.3:1 His way
prepared Matth.11:7-11
Isa.40:3 Prepare ye the way of the Lord
Matth.3:3 Hosea 11:1 called from
Egypt Matth.2:15
Isa.53:3 Rejected by His own people
Matth.21:42 Ps.118:22 become the
headstone 1.Pet.2:7
Isa.8:14 stone of stumbling to
Israel
1.Pet.2:8 Zech.9:9 entered Jerusalem
as King Matt.21:5
Ps.41:9 Betrayed by a
Friend
John 13:21 Zech.11:12 sold for
30 pieces Luke 22:5
Isa.53:7 silent before His
Accusers
Matth.27:14 Isa.35:5,6 Healed
blind/deaf/dumb Matth.11:5
Isa.61:1 set captives
free
Matth.11:5 Micah 7:6 came to bring
sword Matth.10:34
Isa.53:5 The sacrificial Lamb of
God John
1:29 Isa.53:5 Wounded for
our sins John 6:51
Gen.3:15 Wounded for our
sins
Mark 10:45 Dan.9:26 Messiah killed for
us Matth.20:28
Isa.55:5 Gentiles would flock to
Him Matth.
8:10 Isa.53:12 crucified with
criminals Matt.27:35
Zech.12:10 His body was
pierced
John 20:25 Ps.22:16 compassed by
gentiles
Ex.12:21 Christ is our passover
Lamb
1.Cor.5:7 Ex.12:46
not a bone to be broken Jn.19:31-
Ex.15:2 His exaltation as Yeshua God's Son Acts
7:55- Ex.17:6 Spiritual
Rock
1.Cor.10:4
Lev.17:11 Blood that makes atonement
1.Jn.3:14-18 Lev.23:36-drink
offering
Jn.19:31-36
Numb.9:12 Not a bone of Him
broken
Jn.19:31-36 Numb.21:9 Serpent on a
pole Jn.3:14-18
Ruth 4:4- Christ our kinsman redeemed us
Eph.1:3-7 2.Sam.7:12 David's
seed Matth.1:1
2.Sam.7:14 The Son of
God
Luke 1:32 1.Chron.17:12,13
David's throne Lk.1:32,33
Ps.16:10 Not left in the grave Acts2:31;
1.Cor.15:4-6 Ps.22:16 They
pierced hands/feet Jn.19:34-
Ps.22:18 They parted His garments
Jn.19:23,24 Ps.30:3
Resurrection predicted Acts2:32
Ps.35:19 He was hated without cause
Jn.15:25
Ps.69:21 given vinegar to drink Matth.27:34
Ps.78:1,2 He would teach in parables Matth.13:34,35.
Parable
teaching was popular, and commanded the respect and attention, not only of the
Jews, but of the people of other nations. No more effective method of
instruction could He have employed. If His hearers had desired a knowledge
of divine things, they might have understood His words; for He was always
willing to explain them to the honest inquirer.
Again, Christ had truths to present which the people were unprepared to accept
or even to understand. For this reason He taught them in parables.
By connecting His teachings with the scenes of life, experience, or nature, He
secured their attention and impressed their hearts like no other. Jesus speaks
today to us from above.
Afterwards as they looked upon the objects that illustrated His lessons, they
recalled the words of the divine teacher. The minds that were open to the
Holy Spirit of God, the significance of the Saviour's teaching unfolded more and
more. Mysteries grew clear, and that which had been hard to grasp became
evident.
Jesus sought an avenue to every heart. By using a
variety of illustrations, he not only presented truth in different phases, but
appealed to the different hearers.
And He had another reason for teaching in parables. Among the multitudes
that gathered about Him, , there were priests and rabbis, scribes and elders,
Herodians and rulers, world-loving, bigoted, ambitious men, who desired above
all things to find some accusation against Him.
Their spies followed His every step day after day, to catch from His lips
something that would cause His condemnation, and forever silence the One who
seemed to draw the world after Him. The Saviour understood the character
of these men, and He presented truth in such a way that they could find nothing
by which to bring His case before the Sanhedrim. In parables He
rebuked the hypocracy and wicked works of those who occupied high positions, and
in figurative language clothed truth of so cutting a character that had it been
spoken in direct denunciation, they would not have listened to His words, and
would speedily have put an end to His ministry.
Jesus in His holy Temple above saw in 1830 A.D. how on earth the powercourt
house conferences made up a new prophecy that took Christianity by storm.
They now look here to earthly Jerusalem for the re-building of the earthly
Temple which Jesus said would remain desolate. Jerusalem means literally,
the city of peace, but everyone can see that there is no peace. Jesus is
now above in the heavenly city of peace, Jerusalem, and He likes to draw the
attention of us all to Him above.
The book of Hebrews pictures Jesus as the King/Priest after the order of
Melchedesic who had neither Father or Mother, beginning nor end. Had not
Christianity been thus led astray, they would now look up by faith and not look
down. They would see Jesus now as high priestly intercessor making the
final atonement known as the cleansing of the sanctuary.
THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST IN HOLY SCRIPTURE
The fact that Jesus Christ is fully God is proven by the following Bible
passages:
1. EVERYTHING SAID ABOUT GOD IN THE O.T. IS ALSO SAID ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
in the N.T.
Title Jehovah God Jesus Christ
> Lord of lords Ps. 136:3 Re. 19:16
> Stone of stumbling Is. 8:13-15 1 Pe. 2:6-8
> Creator Is. 44:24 Col. 1:16
> Only Savior Is. 43:11 2 Ti. 1:10
> King of kings Ps. 95:3 1 Ti. 6:14-15
> Alpha and Omega Is. 44:6 Re. 1:7-18
> Good Shepherd Is. 40:10-11 Jn. 10:11
> Every knee bow Is. 45:23 Ph. 2:10-11
> Judge Is. 24:20-21 He. 12:23 Col. 1:17; Jn.
5:22
> Reigning Is. 24:23 Mt. 25:3 2. THE O.T.
PROPHETS FORETOLD THE MESSIAH WOULD BE GOD
(compare Is. 7:14
and Mt. 1:23; Is. 9:6; Jer. 23:5-6).
>
> 3. CHRIST WAS PROCLAIMED TO BE GOD AT HIS BIRTH (Mt. 1:23; Lk. 1:17,
> 32, 76; 2:11).
>
> 4. JESUS CLAIMED TO BE GOD
>
> a. He made plain statements and the Jews understood that He was
> claiming to be God (Jn. 5:17-18, 23; 8:56-59; 10:30-33).
>
> b. The "I Am" professions are professions of deity. Jehovah's name is
> "I Am" (Ex. 3:14; Deut. 32:39; Is. 43:13). First compare Jn. 8:58-59;
> then see Jn. 6:35; 8:12, 249:5; 10:7, 11; 10:36; 11:25; 13:19; 14:6;
> 15:1; 18:8.
>
> c. Christ's statements of His relationship with the Father are bold
> claims of equality with God the Father. While He claimed submission
> to God the Father (Jn. 6:38; 8:29, 42), He also claimed equality with
> the Father (Jn. 5:21-23; 10:15, 30, 38; 14:9).
>
> 5. JESUS WAS WORSHIPPED AND HE ACCEPTED WORSHIP. If Jesus were not
> God He could not receive worship. The Bible teaches that it is
> idolatry and wickedness to worship any one or any thing other than
> the one True and Living God (Ex. 20:3-5; 34:14; Is. 42:8; Matt.
> 4:10). Therefore, the fact that Jesus Christ accepted worship is
is conclusive that all the angels worship Him in heaven now.