On Forgiveness

 

Many Christians will be receiving only a dimly lit room instead of a mansion for dying in their sin. I once commended the pastors for visiting nursing and old age homes so frequently. We must, they responded, so many of our ‘sweet’ old ladies harbour grudges against their parents and children or their friends – even against pastors who couldn’t agree with their superficial theology – “But I have always loved the Lord and prayed so much”! They all know the Lord’s prayer parrot-fashion, but don’t obey His commands.

 

The gospels of Matthew and Luke record Christ’s teachings on forgiveness. As was

often the case, the disciples having grown up under the laws of Moses, frequently

found some of His teachings difficult to accept. Peter, the blunt spokesperson

for the group, often wasn’t sure he heard right; Especially in view of what Christ taught in Matthew 5: 38-40, You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. But I say to you, do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. And to him desiring to sue you, and to take away your tunic, let him have your coat also”. They must have felt indignant - to allow people to steal from them at will?

 

In Matthew 18: 21-22 Peter asked the Lord, “How often shall my brother

sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say

to you, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven”.

 

I have never heard Christians question this statement even though I am sure most haven’t got a clue what Jesus meant. We assume that it must have meant “many times”. I reckon that Peter wondered afterwards why he blurted out “seven times”. He was an uneducated fisherman. Peter was inadvertently prophesying once again when he wasn’t aware of it (Matthew 16:17). What Jesus meant was, “In every instance, unto the end of the world”. What allows us to say that?

 

Jesus often left His listeners flabbergasted. Only a thoroughly educated Pharisee like

the apostle Paul would have understood what Christ was implying. Christ was

referring to the 7x70 (or 70 Weeks) prophecy in Daniel Chapter 9, verses 19-27, which lays out an accurate chronology of Christ’s return and the end of the world, plus or minus 10 years. Why the uncertainty?

 

The short answer is that God wills that only a very few be able to forecast the approximate time of His return. At Christ’s first advent, though the prophets Anna and Simeon knew that they would see the Saviour before their death, God never informed them of the month or year (Luke Chapter 2). They therefore attended the Temple daily. They knew that baby had to be circumcised on their 8th day. How would they identify him? They trusted the Holy Spirit to reveal the couple to them.

 

There are other uncertainties a Bible scholar might face. Chronological differences and uncertainties between the Jewish and Gentile calendars for instance. The Jewish calendar would be more reliable because their years were counted by harvests of summer and winter fruits, except that the reliability of transmission from one generation to the next would raise doubts.

 

The chief concern of evangelical Bible scholars is the question, “which decree of which king should we choose to begin the timeline of the 70-week prophecy?? Cyrus the Great reigned from 559-530 BC in Babylon whereas Darius I reigned from 522-486 BC. Both Kings had been kind to the Jews. They both issued decrees to rebuild Jerusalem. However, the birth of Cyrus, a Gentile, was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (44:28). I therefore prefer to believe that the 70 Week Prophecy is to be timed from the first decree of Cyrus. Here is the prophecy,

 

“O Jehovah, hear; O Jehovah, forgive; O Jehovah, listen and do. Do not delay, for

Your own sake, O my God; for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my

people Israel, and presenting my cry before Jehovah my God for the holy mountain

of my God; yes, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had

seen in the vision at the beginning, touched me in my severe exhaustion, about the

time of the evening sacrifice. And he enlightened me, and talked with me, and said,

O Daniel, I have now come out to give you skill and understanding. At the beginning

of your prayers the commandment came out, and I have come to explain. For you

are greatly beloved; therefore, understand the matter, and attend to the vision:

Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the

transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and

to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to

anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the

command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven

weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in

times of affliction. And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but

not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and

the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined,

until the end shall be war. And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.

And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease,

and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that

which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator” (MKJB). The total count is 70 prophetic weeks of years or 490 years.

 

When a prophetic day is mentioned in relation to a week in the book of Daniel,

Scripture explains itself. Each day is a year. A week of years consists of

7 years.

 

The last week of the 70 weeks refers to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the first three and a half years the ministry of Christ and the last three and a half years that of the two

witnesses, “And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy a

thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3). Note

that the Jewish year consisted of 360 days. The years were corrected by an

additional month at set times to keep abreast of the seasons for the harvests of

wheat and barley. Harvests were important. They were an integral part of the three mandatory Feasts or appointed times of the Lord, Passover (barley), Pentecost (wheat) and Tabernacles (ingathering of summer fruits – grapes, dates etc).

 

The intervening years that divided the last week in half is the “Overspreading of

Abominations” when the Jews continued to sacrifice animals which was an

abomination to God (Hebrews Chapter 10). These intervening 2000 years are

also referred to as the Times of the Gentiles for obvious reasons.

 

In ancient Israel any male not attending all three mandatory feasts was cut off from Israel. Why? For our benefit to emphasize what a crucial role they play in Scripture. The rich symbolisms contained in them tell us much about end times. Passover and Pentecost have been literally fulfilled in the church, the body of Christ. We are awaiting the fulfilment of Tabernacles – a great ingathering and joy for the people of God!

 

The book of Revelations is not about disasters for the Christian: Tribulations yes, even as the Hebrews had to experience for the first three plagues in the days of the exodus from Egypt. It is a book calling Christians to repentance. The horrors contained in it is what the unrepentant people of this world will have to fear. Not so for obedient Christians. 

 

Today’s Christians have a lot to be desired. YouTube is filled with all kinds of ‘winds of doctrine’ even a couple mesmerizing those who love Jerusalem to follow traditions of the Law. “So that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit. But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15). Jesus appeared to the apostle John with fiery eyes, “And to the angel (leadership) of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things. I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead” Revelation 3:1.

 

“To the angel of the church of the Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore, be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:14-19).

.

 

Christ’s joy will be the presentation of the mature and radiant Bride of Christ. This shall occur before the literal embodiment of Satan in a man, the Antichrist (End Times: According to Scripture, C Pallaghy PhD, Bookside Press, Toronto, 2023).

 

The pattern of Judas will be repeated at the end. What is a “Judas sheep?”. A Judas sheep was utilized by butchers hundreds of years ago. It was a sheep obedient to butchers. They used it to lure a flock of sheep calmly to their death into the blood-spattered yard. Examine your church today. Is repentance a strong part of the doctrine taught, or are you just being entertained with lovely worship songs and a selection of ‘nice’ scriptures.  Their intention is to lure you quietly to sleep unaware of hell opening its mouth to you.

 

Do not be deceived. Satan has active and influential agents especially active in the church. They look like ministers of light, “Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour” (1Peter 5:8). If you have allowed them to direct debit regular donations block your request. In other words, use the brain God generously gave to you!

 

They might even be your favourite TV evangelist that you recommend to everybody.  They are not ashamed tell you what you want to hear ignoring important scriptures. Look out for those who amass personal fortunes on the pretence that they need to reach the world with all their TV expenses, aeroplanes and luxury villas overseas. It is a sign of covetousness but do not penalise those who use it for good. Investigate thoroughly what they do with their money first.

 

“He put out another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went his way. But when the blade had sprung up and had produced fruit, then the darnel also appeared. So the servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where have the darnel come from? He said to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them up? But he said, No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary” (Matthew 13:24-30).

 

Darnel or Tares are a grass that look like wheat, but at maturity their heads are empty. Barley crops can harbour a fungus called Ergot which caused multitudes to die in the Middle Ages when they ate contaminate barley loaves. Don’t let that happen to you spiritually. Two words such preachers rarely, if ever, talk about, are sin and repentance fundamental to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are not Christians by definition!

 

The wheat belt of southern West Australia were was fertile. Farmers were taking bumper harvests in years of ample rain. One year, early last century, looked as promising as ever. The heads on the maturing wheat were bursting. When it came to harvest them though, the heads were empty of grain. The soil had been depleted of the trace element copper. That is how they discovered that copper was essential for grain filling.

 

Interestingly, metals used in the construction of the Tabernacle were in accordance with God’s instructions to Moses. Metallic items in the Outer Court, where animal sacrifices were carried out for the atonement of sin, were strictly to be of bronze or brass, an alloy high in copper. The two huge pillars, Jachin and Boaz which stood in front of the entrance of the Holy Place in Solomon’s Temple, were made of brass. Brass stood symbolically for a repentant attitude. For instance, in Daniel 4:3 where King Nebuchadnezzar had to repent for 7 times (years) because of his pride. Consider also Leviticus 26:19 and 2Chronicles 6:13.