SEVENTY WEEKS

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To: Walter Copes (wcopes@communique.net

    Bro. Copes:
    Thank you for replying to my dissertation on the SEVENTY WEEKS of Daniel
Ch 9

    The main difference in DATING the DECREE to rebuild Jerusalem arises from
ascertaining WHO made the decree.  You quote Robert Anderson, who dates it as
having been at the time of Nehemiah.  I believe this to be in error.  A close
study of Ezra, Ch 6 will show that the DECREE was made about a year after
Ezra first went to Jerusalem in 458 BC.  He ran into opposition, and asked
for a proclamation (court order) from the king which would make it mandatory
for the opposition to stop.

    This was twelve years earlier than the time of Nehemiah, according to
Willis Judson Beecher's "The Dated Events of The Old Testament" copyrighted
1907 by The Sunday School Times.

    I had noted in some of your earlier postings that you believed in a
"gap."  I was interested, for I also see a "gap."

    But, if I understand you correctly, you believe the gap to be between the
69th and the 70th weeks.  This differs from my interpretation in that I
believe the gap occurs between the first 3 1/2 years, and the second 3 1/2
years of the seventieth week.

    This concurs with the six definite things which were to be accomplished
within the seventy weeks, as outlined in vs 24.  Jesus did accomplish half of
the things determined.

    You mentioned that there were TWO PRINCES described in vss 25 and 26.
 Not so!  I know this is the most common interpretation.  It is not
necessarily the CORRECT interpretation.

    But, at least I now know where you are coming from, and I thank you for
your frank answer.

    Now, another question for you.  Do you have any interpretation concerning
the seven FEASTS OF THE LEVITICAL YEAR?

    I think I see a definite correlation of the FEASTS with the major events
of the work of Jesus FOR AND IN the Church.  PASSOVER typified Jesus, our
PASSOVER.  UNLEAVENED BREAD typified Jesus as the PURE OFFERING.  FIRSTFRUITS
pictured Jesus as the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD.  PENTECOST was typical of the
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST (the beginning of the writing of the LAW (NATURE)
of God in the hearts of His people Israel.  Jesus fulfilled these first four
events to and in the Church-- on the exact same days they were celebrated in
the Temple worship for centuries.

    Then there was a lull of several months (denoting the passage of time),
until the BLOWING OF TRUMPETS, which coincided with the Secular New Year of
Israel.   Ten days later came the DAY OF ATONEMENT.  A good share of the book
of Hebrews deals with an explanation of the events of this day.  It is a
fascinating study which gets bigger by the day, to me.  But it has been
largely overlooked by Bible Scholars with whom I am acquainted.  The most of
them see only the FEAST OF TABERNACLES as being yet future.

    But the JUBILEE (restoration of all property and freedom to every
individual) was "trumpeted" in at the beginning of the Day of Atonement.

    I am vitally interested in whatever input you might  have on the subject
of the Feasts.

    Christian Love

      Marion Fretwell  (fretwell@aol.com)