A continuous sequence of ‘Sevens’ until Christ

[Christian Gedge]

Here we are in 2021. When is the next Sabbatical year? And when is the next Jubilee year?

Sept (Tishri) 2021 to Sept 2022 is the Jews next Sabbath year. The modern shemitah is still on the same line but is always 6 months later than the original system which was April to April. (Abib)

As for Jubilee, they don't keep it anymore. We can work them out but its not something I do because I believe the Sabbath rest, being set free, and all that goes with Jubilee is fulfilled in Christ.

 

[grafted branch]

The full name to google is “astronomical Julian date” and, more related to our study, there is appendix #4 in the back of the book.

Incidentally, I’ve just had another look at chapter 3 where you are reading and noticed a spelling mistake. Oops.

Hey GB, thanks for your interest in all of this. It’s not an easy subject.

Thanks, I have skimmed through the book but didn’t look at the appendixes. Appendix #4 answered my question; I also found the formula for converting the astronomical date to the Julian date on the internet which is what I was looking for.

I’m reading the book again much slower and more carefully, our calendar seems so simple but the Biblical calendar is much more complex then I originally thought.

I have another question that I don’t remember seeing in the book. On page 20 you show examples of the middle of the “week” being on the 10th Tishri with 1278 days on the left side and either 1260 or 1290 days on the right side depending on the Sabbatical cycle.

In Revelation 12:6 the woman flees into the wilderness for 1260 days; in verse 14 the woman (not necessarily the same woman) flees for time, times, and half a time. My question is if the 1260 days are meant literally would they have to come after 10th Tishri (Day of Atonement) and could only occur in every other Sabbath year cycle? My other question is about the time, times, and half time, can this statement occur in any Sabbatical year cycle and either side of 10th Tishri?

 

[Christian Gedge]

In Revelation 12:6 the woman flees into the wilderness for 1260 days; in verse 14 the woman (not necessarily the same woman) flees for time, times, and half a time. My question is if the 1260 days are meant literally would they have to come after 10th Tishri (Day of Atonement) and could only occur in every other Sabbath year cycle? My other question is about the time, times, and half time, can this statement occur in any Sabbatical year cycle and either side of 10th Tishri?

I'm inclined to think that Revelation uses these terms symbolically whereas Daniel uses them literally. As for the calendar formula, I can only make it work when 1278/9 days are the first half of the week, and 1260/90 days the second half. Both sides may be called 'a time, times, and half a time' however. (although I stand to be corrected on that)

 

[Douggg]

@Christian Gedge I have done an internet search on both the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee year, when those take place in our times. I have read different opinions. I am not arguing any position. The one thing I would like to note is that the Jews have an opinion regarding the Jubilee year at one of their sites, Chabad.org. So to them, a year as the Jubilee year is still in effect.

 

[Christian Gedge]

But do the Jews actually plot yovel on their calendar as they do Shmita? I think they are waiting for the ten lost tribes to return so Jubilees can start again. Is that what you've read?

 

[Christian Gedge]

Another Sabbath year which is clearly identified.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, ‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty. (Jeremiah 34:8-17, cf. Deuteronomy 15:12)

Apparently Jeremiah had convinced King Zedekiah that he should put into effect the Sabbath’s ‘release’ provisions but, under pressure from wealthy nobles, the king changed his mind, forcing the freed slaves back into bondage again. So, a Sabbath was explicitly mentioned during the reign of Judah’s last king. Forget for the moment that it wasn’t kept very well. The point is, there was one referenced.

However, Jeremiah doesn’t give the date. Never mind; Ezekiel identifies it as 591 BC. And yes, it also ties back to the previous indicator in Jehoiakim’s reign. Please count: 605 BC >>> 598 BC >>> 591 BC.

There are quite a few of these Sabbath year clues in the Old Testament, but I’d like to deal with the very first observed case, 1389 BC. Or would you prefer an abbreviated list of all the indicated Sabbaths that we can think of?

 

[grafted branch]

There are quite a few of these Sabbath year clues in the Old Testament, but I’d like to deal with the very first observed case, 1389 BC. Or would you prefer an abbreviated list of all the indicated Sabbaths that we can think of?

I think starting at the first Jubilee would be good but I also at some point would like to examine a list of possible Sabbath year observances.

Prior to the first Jubilee we have the wandering in the wilderness which started at the same time the calendar started. As most people know there are multiple places that the number 40 occurs in the Bible.

Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days symbolizing Judas sins, Elijah went 40 days without food or water the same as Jesus did, and Jonah warns Nineveh for 40 days, just to name a few. Does this number fit into calendar (clock) at specific times?

For example let’s take Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, on page 82 you show Jesus being in the wilderness just prior to the beginning of the 70th week. Israel’s wandering contained 5 Sabbath years, then 1 Sabbath year while conquering Canaan and then the Jubilee. Jesus would’ve had 5 Sabbath days in the wilderness, possibly one Sabbath day after he was tempted?, and then the start of the 70th week. So do you see the number 40 being part of the calendar in some way?

 

[Christian Gedge]

Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days symbolizing Judas sins, Elijah went 40 days without food or water the same as Jesus did, and Jonah warns Nineveh for 40 days, just to name a few. Does this number fit into calendar (clock) at specific times?

As you know 40 is the number of 'testing' and the entire span of four sets of 490 years = 1260 years as dealt with in chapter 4. Another way of putting that would be 40 sets of 49 so there may be significance there, but its not a number that fits any luni-solar formula as far as I can see.

 

[Christian Gedge]

I think starting at the first Jubilee would be good but I also at some point would like to examine a list of possible Sabbath year observances.

OK, let’s do a table of all possible Sabbath year and Jubilee observances and we can use it as a reference post to come back to if any more detail is wanted. Please note: Every one of these (twenty-three?) dates are joined together by a continuous count of seven. Here goes:

1389 BC
First observed Sabbath after division of land
Leviticus 25:2-4

1368 BC
Death of Joshua
Joshua 24:1,25, Deuteronomy 31:10-12

1298 BC
Ehud’s Jubilee shofar
Judges 3:27, Leviticus 25:8-9

1074 BC
Battle of Mizpah. Philistine yoke ends
1 Samuel 7:6-13

997 BC
David brings back Ark of God
2 Samuel 6:5,15
(Thanks Grafted Branch)

955 BC
Temple dedication Jubilee
1 Kings 8:1-2

871 BC
Jehoshaphat takes the law to all the people
2 Chronicles 17:7-9

857 BC
Ben Hadad’s double defeat, Sabbath
1 Kings 20:13

856 BC
Ben Hadad’s double defeat, Jubilee
1 Kings 20:26-30

836 BC
Joash announced king on Sabbath year
2 Kings 11:4

710/9 BC
No planting for 2 years. Hezekiah’s Jubilee
2 Kings 19:29, Leviticus 25

612 BC
Nineveh destroyed on Jubilee
(Coincidence?)

605 BC
Day of fasting and people assembled
Jeremiah 36:6, Leviticus 16:29

591 BC
Release of slaves failure
Jeremiah 34:8-15, Deuteronomy 15:12

562 BC
Jehoiachin released on Jubilee
2 Kings 25:27-30

458 BC
Sabbath preceding last cycle of 70 weeks
Daniel 9:24-27

444 BC
Religious revival following the public reading
Nehemiah 8-10

423 BC
Nehemiah returns for another Sabbath reading
Nehemiah 13:1

332 BC
Alexander grants Sabbath tax concessions
Josephus, Antiquites 11 ch. 8

164 BC
Siege of Bethsura references a Sabbath
1 Maccabees 6:49-53

38 BC
Herod’s first year references a Sabbath
Josephus, Antiquites 14 ch. 16

26 AD
John the Baptist begins on Sabbath year
Luke 3:1-3

27 AD
Jesus begins ministry on Jubilee year
Luke 4:18-19​

 

[Douggg]

But do the Jews actually plot yovel on their calendar as they do Shmita? I think they are waiting for the ten lost tribes to return so Jubilees can start again. Is that what you've read?

Yes, that is in the article at Chabad.

 

[grafted branch]

OK, let’s do a table of all possible Sabbath year and Jubilee observances and we can use it as a reference post to come back to if any more detail is wanted.

What are your thoughts on 2 Samuel 6 where the ark is brought back to the temple? Another timeline I looked at has David becoming king in 1,003 BC and the ark brought back to the temple in 1,000 BC. Your timeline has David becoming king between 1,001 and 1,000 BC and shows a Sabbath year in 997 BC. Was the ark brought back in a Sabbath year?

 

[Christian Gedge]

Was the ark brought back in a Sabbath year?

Oh wow GB, Absolutely!!! I'll add that to the list above and include an edit to my books before the next printing comes out.

Ive just been going over your reference and there are three instances of the whole house of Israel being present. (verses 5, 15, 19) In addition, although dates not mentioned, it seems feasible that three years elapsed between David becoming king and the Sabbath year. He defeated the Jebusites and the Philistines twice, plus had a house built. Sounds like three years to me.

As for my timeline being slightly earlier than the conventional wisdom, I will get back to my reasons for that.

 

[Christian Gedge]

Continuing from …

2. The Sabbath years were not ‘lost’ as supposed, and can be accurately dated for the full length of the Old Covenant.

Shown on post #49 are twenty-three ‘indication’ dates joined together by a continuous count of seven. However, they are only as reliable as the correctness (or incorrectness) of our starting date. In this study we are starting from the Exodus, then stepping through the unkept Sabbaths of the wilderness wandering until we reach the first actual land-rest Sabbatical. (Leviticus 25:2) I say it was observed 1389 BC.

So, how do we get to the Exodus? Chronologists get there by counting backwards from the known date of Ahab's death. 853 BC is cross referenced with Assyrian and Hebrew records thus an 'absolute' date. From there they reach Solomon's fourth year, then from there 480 years reaches the Exodus. (1 Kings 6:1)

However there are two discrepancies in modern charts - one in the reign of Omri, father of Ahab, and the other in the reign of Solomon. These result in an Exodus date of 1446 BC when in fact it should be 1444 BC. (For anyone interested in the fine details of this claim, please see appendix 2, The Atonement Clock)

Next post needs to be the first observed case after the land had been settled. Will be back.

 

[grafted branch]

Next post needs to be the first observed case after the land had been settled. Will be back.

Before the first observed Sabbath in 1389 BC there is the wandering in the wilderness. I don’t want to jump ahead but can we briefly look at chapter 8?

In chapter 8 the prophets Jeremiah, Haggai, and Ezekiel are counting. Based on the breakdown of Ezekiel’s 390/40 count on page 49 it seems that they may have been able to count unobserved Sabbatical/Jubilee years based on the backsliding periods only. Part of the unobserved Sabbath/Jubilees’ that required to land to rest for 70 years was the time in the wilderness.

So I think it’s beneficial (at least to me) to also point out the time periods we shouldn’t expect to see any observed Sabbath/Jubilee’s so we can see them add up to 70, as you start your next post on the first observed Sabbath year.

 

[Christian Gedge]

So I think it’s beneficial (at least to me) to also point out the time periods we shouldn’t expect to see any observed Sabbath/Jubilee’s so we can see them add up to 70, as you start your next post on the first observed Sabbath year.

Are you suggesting that I make an edit / expansion in the book? Or would you like to copy some of page 49 into the forum here? If so, go right ahead.

 

[grafted branch]

Are you suggesting that I make an edit / expansion in the book? Or would you like to copy some of page 49 into the forum here? If so, go right ahead.

I’m not suggesting an expansion of your book, I sometimes read what I previously wrote and realize I could have worded it differently.

What I thought you were going to do was go through the list of possible Sabbath years in post #49 one by one for a more in depth look at them. I was just suggesting that if you were going to do that then at each possible Sabbath year we could keep a running tally of the possible Sabbaths where the land didn’t rest.

When we come to the end of Jerimiah’s ministry we have 122 Sabbath years and 17 Jubilee years. At this point we know there are 70 unobserved Sabbath years or a combination of unobserved Sabbath and Jubilee years that add up to 70. You show on page 49 that Ezekiel’s count (390 years for the sins of Israel and 40 years for the sins of Judah) has 61 Sabbaths and 9 Jubilees where the land had not been rested.

If we were to keep a tally it would look something like this on the first observed Sabbath in 1389 BC.

5 known unobserved Sabbath years
2 Sabbaths and 1 Jubilee year with no conclusive information (although you suggested that Joshua 8:30-35 could be the 1403 BC Sabbath)
1 Sabbath year observed​

The 5 known unobserved Sabbath years come from the first line of the list on page 49 “40 years – Wilderness disobedience”.

I hope I understand this correctly, if not give me a push in the right direction.

 

[Christian Gedge]

Having settled on an Exodus date of 1444 BC, let us step through the chronological doors leading to the first land-rest Sabbath.


Spring, 1443 BC On this – the second year – the Israelites left Sinai arriving at the desert of Paran.

On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran (Numbers 10:11-12)

Summer, 1443 BC The desert of Paran had an oasis called Kadesh Barnea and it was from here that spies were sent into Canaan. We know it was summer because that is the time of grape harvest.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel … At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (Numbers 13:1, 25-26)

Winter, 1405 BC Israel had completed the conquest east of Jordan but not yet crossed the river. Note: The eastern tribes left their families and helped their brothers.

In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment to them, after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan. (Deuteronomy 1:3-4)

Spring, 1404 BC Israel camped on the plains of Jericho after crossing the Jordan river.

While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. (Joshua 5:10)

Summer, 1403 BC Joshua assembled all Israel per Moses instruction (Duet. 31:10-12) This year was in sequence with future Sabbatical years, but prior to most of the land being conquered or able to be fallowed yet.

At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal … And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them. (Joshua 8:34-35)

1398 BC Caleb’s inheritance came at the end of the military conquests but before the division of land among the western tribes. (1443 BC - 45 = 1398 BC)

Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land … And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old … (Joshua 14:6-10)

Then the land had rest from war. (Joshua 14:15)

1398 to 1396 BC Remaining tribes receive their allocated lands; cities of refuge established; arrangements for Levi. (Joshua chapters 15 – 22) Lastly, the eastern tribes return home on the 49th year of the Exodus – 1396 BC

Spring, 1395 BC Sabbath count begins. (Diagram coming up)

 

[Christian Gedge]

The following diagram shows the period from when the invasion of Canaan ended in 1398 BC. The Sabbath count commenced 1395 BC to the first actual land-rest, 1389 BC. Notice how distribution to the tribes of Israel - hence the start of cultivation and agricultural production - began after the 49th year of the Exodus.

Please count the years. This is an important chronological detail because all following Sabbaths need to step by ‘sevens’ until they conclude with the dawn of the New Covenant.

 

[Christian Gedge]

Shown on post #49 are twenty-three ‘indication’ dates joined together by a continuous count of seven. This second example is the death of Joshua which I place on the Sabbatical year, 1368 BC.

After Canaan was divided among the tribes, his military role finished but his leadership continued. (Joshua 24:31) The length of Joshua's rule, and date of death is not clearly given in the Bible, so it’s made it difficult to construct a chronology of the Judges who came after him.

What is known is his final age of 110 and a brief comment concerning his 'youth' when he began serving Moses. (Numbers 11:28) Also, he spied out the land with contemporaries, all of whom died before the land was divided, except Caleb, who was 85 by then. So, Joshua was probably the youngest spy, but by how many years is not said.

However, when we study the background of Joshua's final year, it becomes apparent that he died on a Sabbatical. Moses had left instructions to assemble the people every 7th year (Deut. 31:10-12), and just prior to Joshua's parting we see such an assembly taking place at Shechem. (Josh. 24) This was his last public exhortation to all Israel to keep God's law, so the event is clearly defined.

Joshua's age of 110 suggests the general time-frame so a precise year of his death can be deduced by finding the Sabbath year that fits. That year is 1368 BC. If we estimate an earlier Sabbatical, it would mean he wasn’t a ‘youth’ at the Exodus. Also, the later date is confirmed by the Ancient Seder Olam which states that Joshua judged for 28 years. It’s a good count IMO.

 

[grafted branch]

Shown on post #49 are twenty-three ‘indication’ dates joined together by a continuous count of seven. This second example is the death of Joshua which I place on the Sabbatical year, 1368 BC.

After Canaan was divided among the tribes, his military role finished but his leadership continued. (Joshua 24:31) The length of Joshua's rule, and date of death is not clearly given in the Bible, so it’s made it difficult to construct a chronology of the Judges who came after him.

What is known is his final age of 110 and a brief comment concerning his 'youth' when he began serving Moses. (Numbers 11:28) Also, he spied out the land with contemporaries, all of whom died before the land was divided, except Caleb, who was 85 by then. So, Joshua was probably the youngest spy, but by how many years is not said.

However, when we study the background of Joshua's final year, it becomes apparent that he died on a Sabbatical. Moses had left instructions to assemble the people every 7th year (Deut. 31:10-12), and just prior to Joshua's parting we see such an assembly taking place at Shechem. (Josh. 24) This was his last public exhortation to all Israel to keep God's law, so the event is clearly defined.

Joshua's age of 110 suggests the general time-frame so a precise year of his death can be deduced by finding the Sabbath year that fits. That year is 1368 BC. If we estimate an earlier Sabbatical, it would mean he wasn’t a ‘youth’ at the Exodus. Also, the later date is confirmed by the Ancient Seder Olam which states that Joshua judged for 28 years. It’s a good count IMO.


View attachment 299629

The estimated death of Joshua in 1368 BC makes sense. Even though we don’t have indicators for some of the Sabbatical years, I would think that there is a high probability that all the Sabbatical years were observed during his tenure.